Symbolism Of Hester Prynne In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter itself has a myriad of meanings, but all meanings are centered on Hester Prynne. When discussing the complex meaning of the literal scarlet letter, one must first consider Hester Prynne. When Hester debuts her embroidered letter it is said that Hester and the letter are forever bound. Hester is forced to display the red “A” on her bosom, and her humanity is stripped away by the Puritan community to become a symbol. The “crimson velvet” (pg. 57) letter evolves throughout the story, it constantly changes. In the beginning of the novel, the letter has an extremely negative connotation by being closely associated with sin and adultery. The letter is seen as malicious. However, over the course of Hawthorne’s story, the letter sheds its former negative connotation and becomes angelic and preternatural. The original meaning is eclipsed by its new and true definition, this one symbol has a whole library of different interpretations. …show more content…
The scarlet letter is punishment for Hester’s crime of adultery with an unknown man. Originally when the letter is assigned to Hester, it is supposed to stand for adultery. The word adultery is evocative, the letter and the meaning separates Hester from her Puritan community. The community and Hester are divided because of sin. The letter, in the eyes of Hester, is a symbol of isolation. In the eyes of the townspeople, the letter is pure and concentrated sin. The community shuns Hester, her baby, and her scarlet letter, this completely separates the scarlet lady from the Puritan settlement. Hester and her letter are the “living sermon against sin”