Preview

How Is Hester Prynne A Feminist

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1507 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How Is Hester Prynne A Feminist
In the Creed, our profession of the communion of the saints is followed by the affirmation of our belief in the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the dead, and life everlasting,” stated Jerry Ryan. Hester Prynne is the primary character of The Scarlet Letter and a young maiden who had a husband that disappeared two years prior when Hester had an affair with someone else. Roger Chillingworth is the husband of Hester Prynne, and he is looking for revenge because of Hester’s betrayal. Hawthorne shows that not everyone is a perfect person when it comes to his or her feelings and emotions. Since Hester Prynne is the heroine of the story and refuses to state who the father of the child is, she is forced to wear a scarlet letter A on her chest. …show more content…
Feminism could be dangerous for every woman back then because they didn’t have the right to do anything related to adultery. Hawthorne portrays Hester as a staunch feminist by not allowing anyone to know about Pearl and her lover in the court. Hester is punished by standing in the middle of the town and letting people interrogate her about her child and the identity of her lover, but she doesn't let anyone know, so she is forced to wear the letter A on her chest. Showing the letter A to the people is a dangerous thing because a person can hurt her when Hester is walking around the village with her daughter, Pearl. Hester can be loud in front of other people, but on the inside, she can be weak, yet she won’t show it. She is letting everyone know that she committed adultery, but she also protecting the one she loves. Hester states, “Never! It is too deeply branded. Ye cannot take it off. And would that I might endure his agony, as well as mine” (Hawthorne 463). Hawthorne doesn’t reveal[?] who is the father of the little girl, so Hester is trying her best to be strong in front of the people and not let anyone bring her down because she committed adultery. Even though Hester Prynne is a young woman who has a child with another man, this is still considered shameful in the seventeenth century. The Teen Ink article states, “Hester has remained steadfast to …show more content…
Hester Prynne may have made the wrong choice, but she’s still doing her best for Pearl. Mothers want to show their kind sides to their children so they won’t be worried about the environment. The author states, “She was self-ordained a Sister of Mercy; or, what we may rather say, the world’s heavy hand had so ordained her, when neither the world nor she looked forward to this result” (Hawthorne 514). A person can feel bad for the mother who has been struggling for years because she committed a heinous crime. A mother would do anything for her child when no one else can. Mothers like Hester Prynne can bring love to children when they are struggling in a society that can bring them down. Mothers want to be good moms so their children can follow good examples. Hester wished to be a role model to Pearl to set her a good example because she doesn’t want Pearl to be like her that committed adultery. The author illustrates, “We merely see her with her child, bearing her lot with patience, seeking for no comfort, doing what good she can in her humble solitude by the work of her hands, pointed at from all by the finger of scorn, but the purest, the cleanest, the fairest also among women” (Trollope 6). There’s no strength in the entire world greater than a bond between a single mother and their children. Like any other mother, they can show patience to their children so they can have a good life

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The Scarlet Letter is a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This essay discusses how Hester is a victim of her social pressure. She was punished for something she did to achieve her dream of having someone that loves her. Hester committed adultery with minister Dimmesdale and had a child with him, Pearl. Her punishment was to stand on the scaffold with her child and wear the letter A on her breast as a sign of her “crime”. Due to the strictures of the puritan society, Hester Prynne suffers from public shaming. She almost lost her only child, and was not able to openly love who she wanted.…

    • 812 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Published in 1850, The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a book based on sin, guilt, and redemption. A woman, Hester Prynne, must bear the guilt of sin by wearing a scarlet “A” on her bosom. The reason she wears this letter is because she had a child by a man, Arthur Dimmesdale, who is not her husband, Roger Chillingworth. Although she has committed the sin of adultery with Dimmesdale, her husband is also guilty of being a sinner himself. According to the narrator in Chapter 14, “This unhappy person (Roger Chillingworth) had effected such a transformation by devoting himself for seven years to the constant analysis of a heart full of torture, and deriving his enjoyment thence, and adding fuel to those fiery tortures which he analysed and gloated over.” would convince anyone that Chillingworth is the most sinful character in The Scarlet Letter. Three reasons for why he is the most sinful character would be that he deceives the colony with his untrue identity, stays in Boston to get revenge on Reverend Dimmesdale, and posses worldly and sometimes prohibited forms of knowledge.…

    • 996 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Scarlet Letter Sin Quotes

    • 1162 Words
    • 5 Pages

    She is the result of Dimmesdale and Hester's love for each other. Because of Hester's crime, Pearl is also discriminated because of her mother. "Behold, verily, there is the woman of the scarlet letter; and of a truth, moreover, there is the likeness of the scarlet letter running along her side! Come, therefore, and let us fling mud at them!"(Hawthorne 112). This quote explains how the Puritan children felt about Hester and Pearl. They wanted to fling mud at them because these children were probably told to hate them, and also of the crime Hester committed. Pearl is also considered a wild child, and very untamed and very unlike Puritan children."The child shall be well cared for!–far better than tho canst do for it."(Hawthorne 124). And "The discipline of the family in those days, was of a far more rigid kind than now....Hester Prynne, nevertheless, the loving mother of this one child, ran little risk of erring on the side of undue severity. Mindful, however, of her own errors and misfortunes, she early sought to impose a tender, but strict control over the infant immortality that was committed to her charge. But the task was beyond her skill. After testing both smiles and frowns, and proving that neither mode of treatment possessed any calculable influence, Hester was ultimately compelled to stand aside and permit the child to be swayed by her own impulses." (Hawthorne 100). This quote explains how unlike Puritan child Pearl is, and how's she's offended. Pearl is considered wild and has no rules to follow, because Hester hasn't disciplined her. Because of this, the Townspeople want to give Pearl away to someone who's a better parent. Hester's sin has affected Pearl because she isn't treated with respect and she's considered the result of Hester's sin. Pearl is also considered a wild child that must be…

    • 1162 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hester can atone for her sin of adultery, but every day that she keeps the secret of her lover, and the true identity of Rodger Chillingworth a secret she is committing a sin. If Hester would have “Take heeds how thou deniest to him---who, perchance, hath not the courage to grasp it for himself---the bitter, but wholesome, cup that is now presented to thy lips!”(Dimmesdale 47) things would have been infinitely better for everyone. Everyone Hester Prynne loves, she does in a hypocritical way. She loves Pearl enough to sacrifice to feed and clothe her, but she does not love Pearl enough to give her a father. Hester loves Dimmesdale, but she does not love him enough to expose his sin publicly, and she conceals her knowledge of Chillingworth. Either you love something whole-heartedly, or you don’t. Hawthorne might have portrayed Hester in a more favorable light then the other characters, but still she should have to wear a scarlet H in addition to her…

    • 986 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hester became the symbol of her sin; adultery. But the main problem was forgiveness. How could someone forgive themselves when they were constantly reminded of their own mistakes?…

    • 754 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    After Hester committed adultery and was forced to wear the scarlet letter, she could no longer go to church without the pastor speaking about adultery and using her as an example. The novel reads, “If she entered a church, trusting to share the Sabbath smile of the Universal Father, it was often her mishap to find herself the text of the discourse” (Hawthorne 95). Even when Hester walked the streets and was simply trying to live a normal life, she often ended up getting called out for the transgression she committed against her husband. She was now seen as an example of woman’s frailty and weakness. The poem also similarly shows that women are seen as weak in relationships and sin. In the poem it says, “...how, after leading them astray, can you wish them without strain?” (Cruz 296). This shows that men, and even women themselves, saw women as weak and unable to live life without a male figure in their lives. Then, if they are led astray they are severely shunned and punished. Both the poem and novel show that in the 1600’s women were seen as the weakness and more as sinners than…

    • 1027 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Hester Prynne first shows a break in gender roles in not necessarily a good way, however it often happens in today's society. This objection to traditional roles occurs when she has an affair with a man (Arthur Dimmesdale) even though she is currently married, this results in her pregnancy with her child Pearl. This breaks traditional gender roles because back in this time, and still to this day, women are supposed to be pure and untouched. However this is a good rule for both genders, and is awful for both to do so, but this marks her first occurrence with going around gender roles.…

    • 456 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Feminism is the support for equal rights for both men and women, in the areas that include but are not limited to politics, economics, and social norms. In a more general sense, a feminist seeks a justified, balanced amount of opportunity for both sexes. The topic of feminism has been prevalent in more recent years, but not a few centuries ago. The romance novel The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850, highlights a female protagonist named Hester Prynne who lived in the 17th century. She is portrayed as a strong feminist character throughout the novel by showing resilience, despite the lack of social equality during the Puritan times the novel takes place in. This novel displays acts of feminism as Hester Prynne lives her life with the stigma of adultery with the scarlet letter.…

    • 391 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    He is a man plagued by vengeance. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne describes how a woman named Hester Prynne fits into a Puritan society after committing an act of adultery and giving birth to another man’s child. Her husband, Roger Chillingworth, develops a bitter coldness and a vindictive obsession that impacts both Hester Prynne and her secret lover.…

    • 986 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hester’s affair was during the time bible was the law, and what she did was a bit taboo in the church’s eyes. One bad decision changes her entire life. Her husband being away for a long period of time obviously made her feel lonely, and she needed someone to fulfill womanly her needs. Instead, she ended up with a baby and a big, red “A” on her chest for seven years. She lives on the outskirts of Boston with Pearl, and she is ostracized by everyone in town. She makes a living by sewing, because she is very talented in her work. However, “it is not recorded that, in a single instance, her skill was called in aid to embroider the white veil which was to cover pure blushes of bride” (Hawthorne 83). Virgin brides were not allowed to wear veil’s made by her because of her sinful acts, it would be considered shameful. Although Hester had to face many problems due to her sinful actions, she wore the “A” out in the open and wore her sin with confidence. She was said to look beautiful when she walked out of the prison. When Hester is made to stand on the scaffold alone for three hours, she does it with grace and acceptance. She accepts what she did and the consequences that come along with it. Whereas Hester has many unavoidable obstacles caused by her sin, Edna does not face much ridicule by society. Since this novel takes place in the nineteenth century, punishment by law will not be a…

    • 1295 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    In Chapter Two, the narrator describes the scene of Hester Prynne walking out of the prison into the daylight. Hester 's reaction as she walks out of the prison into the crowd of people on her way to the market-place illustrates her motherly instincts. The young mother stands before the crowd with an expression that looks as if she might grasp the infant close to her chest; not to protect the infant, but hide an item sewn onto her dress. She quickly realizes that she cannot hide the shame sewn onto her dress with the shame she holds in her arms, and she then gazes around at the townspeople. A fine red letter A surrounded by fancy sewing of gold thread appears on her chest (Hawthorne 47). The young woman knows of the guilt and shame placed upon her, figuratively and literally. She knows it figuratively by the guilt and shame of having an affair. Literally by the scarlet red letter "A" sewn onto her gown with gold thread. She will not allow others to place fault on her for covering up or taking off the letter "A" from her clothing, giving her some sense innocence. In Chapter Three, Reverend Mr. Wilson tries to pressure and persuade Hester into giving up the name of the father of her baby. She refuses to speak of his name because she does not want him to bear the burden of the guilt. Reverend Mr. Wilson harshly cries out at Hester that she should not sin further than the limits of Heaven 's forgiveness. The baby in her arms will reveal to the counsel the name of Hester 's fellow sinner. He bargains with her that she can take the scarlet letter off her breast if she reveals his name. She refuses to speak the name or take the scarlet letter off her breast. Hester will bear the burden of his guilt and hers so that he can feel innocent and free (Hawthorne 61). Reverend Mr. Wilson tries to find out what man…

    • 2499 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Hester's mind, everything she did and everything she has to suffer, by wearing an ‘A’ all the time and the townspeople constantly talking about her, is worth it just for Pearl. Hester has loved Pearl unconditionally since the day she was born, and she does not care that Pearl was the outcome of a sin, she is her daughter and there is nothing better than to have Pearl with her at all times. Hester says “She is my happiness!... Pearl keeps me here in life!” (Hawthorne, 104). Pearl was everything for Hester. She gave Hester a reason to live and a reason to move on with her life. Hester loves Pearl no matter what. Her sin is not Pearl and she does not relate Pearl to a sin in any way. Hester actually sees Pearl as a blessing, rather than as a sin. Pearl encourages Hester to be a better person. Hester is always trying to be better in order for Pearl to be better when she grows up. For example, Mistress Hibbins once invited Hester to do witchcraft, but she rejected the offer for the good of Pearl and because she needed to be with Pearl. Hester could’ve gone with Mistress Hibbins to do witchcraft and act silly, but her duty as a mother was more important. It was more important for Hester to be a good example for her daughter, than to go crazy with her…

    • 1085 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes Puritan ideology to convey a philosophical reflection on sin and redemption. Adulteress Hester Prynne must wear a scarlet A to mark her shame, and while her lover, Arthur Dimmesdale, remains unidentified and is wracked with guilt, her husband, Roger Chillingworth, seeks revenge. Although all three characters contemplate redemption, it is only Hester that chooses to confront her sin; Dimmesdale and Chillingworth refuse. This decision is heavily influenced by their respective morals. Hester’s morals of truth, forgiveness, and honesty allow her to be almost fully redeemed in the eyes of the public, whereas Dimmesdale's perverse loyalty to the morally corrupt society that hinders his love for…

    • 971 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prynne is released from the prison, “Hester Prynne’s term of confinement was now at an end. Her prison-door was thrown open, and she came forth into the sunshine, which, falling on all alike, seemed, to her sick and morbid heart, as if meant for no other purpose than to reveal the scarlet letter on her breast” (Hawthorne 72). Isolated from the entire town, all Prynne has left is her infant, Pearl; the living proof of her sin. Prynne chose to live this way in order for her to protect Dimmesdale, the man she loved. She almost decides to flee town because of the extremity of how she is treated, but her heart is blinded by love, which tells her she needs to stay…

    • 653 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Scarlet Letter

    • 1408 Words
    • 6 Pages

    In contrast to Dimmesdale’s suffering, Hester’s sin is publicly known. Even though Hester tries to be brave while standing in the Pillory with a “haughty smile, and with a glance that would not be abashed...” (Hawthorne, 52), she begins to feel uncomfortable as everyone around her starts staring at the scarlet letter embroidered on her chest. Hester begins to realize how sinful she was among her community, feeling lonesome and weak, “...she perchance underwent an agony from every footstep of those that thronged to see her, as if her heart had been flung into the street for them all to sprung and stumble upon.” (Hawthorne, 55). Hester has this feeling due to the strict puritan law. She knows that her life will never be the same again and that is what bothers her the most. As she leaves the prison, she believes that from that day on, people will use her as a bad example to society and that she is…

    • 1408 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays