Scarlet Letter Essay

Submitted By johnson1994
Words: 513
Pages: 3

The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne includes numerous characters and each individual has a worthy role. Hester Prynne stands out the most and very significant because she changes throughout the novel. At the beginning, she is known to be a sinner through the Puritans eyes. Hester has gone against them by committing adultery and since she did, she is to wear a symbol of shame for the rest of her life. She is a beautiful young woman who had sinned, but is forgiven. Hawthorne uses Hester in the novel to show different meanings. He really focuses on uncovering the understanding of the puritan society and their reaction to Hester’s sin. Hawthorne uses Hester to scrutinize the Puritan society indirectly, and the role women should play in society.

Body Paragraph:
Hester always keeps true to her word. She is questioned by many for her decisions especially by Reverend Wilson, the Governor. Chillingworth wanted to reveal the identity of Pearl’s father and Hester refuses to say. She never revealed Chillingworth’s identity as she promised and asked for his permission before breaking the promise. Overall, she is presented as a woman with many values and qualities, besides her action of sin of adultery.

In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne, a beautiful young woman and Arthur Dimmesdale, Boston’s minister and father of Hester’s baby; Pearl. After Hester’s sin is revealed, isolation is started between the two. She never made Dimmesdale feel in charge and held no grudges towards Chillingworth. Hester was sent to Boston by her husband, who was supposed to follow shortly afterwards. Her husband is Roger Chillingworth. She has an affair with Arthur Dimmesdale and they have a daughter. Condemned for her sin of adultery by the Puritan government, Hester is forced to wear a scarlet letter A on her dress at all times as a punishment for her crime. Even though Hester is a helpful person who is