Making scarifies is a hard thing for anyone to do. Even so there are many examples of character forfeiting something in the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. No one though sacrificed more than Hester Prynne. Hester deals with many trials and tribulations throughout the book; she sacrifices her freedom, continues to do charity work, and most of all she gives up her own happiness; and all of these things greatly reflects her character.
When Hester is placed upon the platformed and interrogated to reveal the father of her child she refuses. This act, the sacrifice of her own freedom, in order to allow Arthur Dimmesdale to remain free, meant a great deal. Hester knew that he would have suffered more than she if his name were announced, after …show more content…
Throughout all those years she wore the Scarlet Letter Hester held an impressive weight of guilt and the need for penance on her shoulders. Overtime that weight continued to crush the happiness out of her. Right after being released from her imprisonment Hester has the thought of leaving, and yet the guilt, the thought that her suffering should be carried out where it had all happened kept her there. Furthermore Hester tells herself the lie that "... the torture of her daily shame would at length purge her soul, and work out another purity than that which she had lost ; more saint-like, because the result of martyrdom," (Hawthorne 93). Deep down Hester knows that no one will accept her, and her efforts will be in vain, and yet she stays. Only years later when Dimmesdale is not in good health due to the malicious intent of Roger Chillingworth does she attempt to leave with Dimmesdale and Pearl. It was not for her happiness which caused the need to abandon Massachusetts but Dimmesdale 's health, and although the aspects of leaving with the other two bring her spirit back, Hester 's happiness was never the priority. Furthermore after Dimmesdale passed away and Hester left with pearl, she still came back. Hester continued to wear the Scarlet Letter "And, as Hester Prynne had no selfish ends, nor lived in any measure for her own profit and enjoyment, people brought all their sorrows and
When Hester is placed upon the platformed and interrogated to reveal the father of her child she refuses. This act, the sacrifice of her own freedom, in order to allow Arthur Dimmesdale to remain free, meant a great deal. Hester knew that he would have suffered more than she if his name were announced, after …show more content…
Throughout all those years she wore the Scarlet Letter Hester held an impressive weight of guilt and the need for penance on her shoulders. Overtime that weight continued to crush the happiness out of her. Right after being released from her imprisonment Hester has the thought of leaving, and yet the guilt, the thought that her suffering should be carried out where it had all happened kept her there. Furthermore Hester tells herself the lie that "... the torture of her daily shame would at length purge her soul, and work out another purity than that which she had lost ; more saint-like, because the result of martyrdom," (Hawthorne 93). Deep down Hester knows that no one will accept her, and her efforts will be in vain, and yet she stays. Only years later when Dimmesdale is not in good health due to the malicious intent of Roger Chillingworth does she attempt to leave with Dimmesdale and Pearl. It was not for her happiness which caused the need to abandon Massachusetts but Dimmesdale 's health, and although the aspects of leaving with the other two bring her spirit back, Hester 's happiness was never the priority. Furthermore after Dimmesdale passed away and Hester left with pearl, she still came back. Hester continued to wear the Scarlet Letter "And, as Hester Prynne had no selfish ends, nor lived in any measure for her own profit and enjoyment, people brought all their sorrows and