who is hester in scarlet letter

Who is the real sinner in the Scarlet Letter?

In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, many characters are portrayed as sinners like Dimmesdale, Hester, and Chillingworth. But overall the biggest sinner in the story was Hester Prynne and there are many reasons for it. Obviously the reason for the scarlet letter, she was an adulteress.

Why does Hester in the Scarlet Letter keep the secret?

Why does Hester keep Chillingworth’s secret? Why does Hester agree to keep Chillingworth’s identity a secret? She only accepts to do it perhaps out of fear, or because she knows that disclosing this information would make matters worse for everybody involved.

Who was Hester married to in the Scarlett Letter?

What we know about Hester from the days prior to her punishment is that she came from a "genteel but impoverished English family" of notable lineage. She married the much older Roger Chillingworth, who spent long hours over his books and experiments; yet she convinced herself that she was happy.

Who committed the worst sin in the Scarlet Letter?

Though just about every character in The Scarlet Letter has committed one sin or another, the most sinful by far is Mr. Prynne, or Roger Chillingworth, as he now calls himself. The undisputed villain of the piece, Chillingworth is vengeful, vindictive, and hypocritical in fairly equal measure.

How is Hester described in The Scarlet Letter?

Hester is physically described in the first scaffold scene as a tall young woman with a "figure of perfect elegance on a large scale." Her most impressive feature is her "dark and abundant hair, so glossy that it threw off the sunshine with a gleam." Her complexion is rich, her eyes are dark and deep, and her regular ...

What kind of character is Hester?

Hester Prynne, protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne's masterwork The Scarlet Letter, is among the first and most important female protagonists in American literature. She's the embodiment of deep contradictions: bad and beautiful, holy and sinful, conventional and radical.

What does Hester Prynne represent?

The Puritan society openly scorns her for her sin. Hester Prynne, portrayed as a symbol of sin within the puritan society, is an illustration of solidity through her determination, seclusion with the scarlet letter, and hard work ethic.

What does Hester do with The Scarlet Letter?

Dimmesdale declares that he can feel joy once again, and Hester throws the scarlet letter from her chest. Having cast off her “stigma,” Hester regains some of her former, passionate beauty, and she lets down her hair and smiles.

What is Hester's weakness?

Her weakness is revealed in her private vent of her grief through tears. Her silent suffering eventually wins the sympathy of others but still fails to gain her complete acceptance by the Puritan society that surrounds her.

What is the secret of Hester Prynne?

What are Hester Prynne's secrets? Hester keeps secret the name of her illegitimate child's father (Reverend Dimmesdale) and the true identity of Roger Chillingworth (her husband). She will not reveal Pearl's father to protect Reverend Dimmesdale's reputation, as he is the minister of the church.

Why does Hester commit adultery?

At sea, Hester falls in love with Arthur Dimmesdale and commits the first act of adultery that, later repeated, earns her the red "A." But the courtship between these two characters is practically devoid of sexuality.

Why did Hester hide her hair?

After seven years of punishment, Hester wears a cap and her face becomes dark, and she is hidden by the burden of her sin. Once she removed her scarlet letter, and it seemed as if her beauty came back to life.

Why does Hester remove the scarlet letter?

For Hester, to remove the scarlet letter would be to acknowledge the power it has in determining who she is. The letter would prove to have successfully restricted her if she were to become a different person in its absence.

What crime did Hester commit?

Fictional character overview Because Hester has no husband with her, she is imprisoned, convicted of the crime of adultery, and sentenced to be forced to wear a prominent scarlet letter 'A' for the rest of her life.

Why did Hester name her child Pearl?

Answer and Explanation: Hester names her daughter Pearl because she is beautiful and was created through pain.

Who is Hester's baby daddy?

Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale In a moment of weakness, he and Hester became lovers. Although he will not confess it publicly, he is the father of her child.

What is the role of Hester in Scarlet Letter?

Hester plays many roles in The Scarlet Letter: devoted mother, abandoned lover, estranged wife, religious dissenter, feminist, and outcast, to name just a few. Perhaps her most important role is that of an iconoclast, one who opposes established conventions.

What did Hester say to Hester?

“Live, therefore, and bear about thy doom with thee, in the eyes of men and women—in the eyes of him thou didst call thy husband— in the eyes of yonder child! And , that thou mayst live, take off this draught.”

What chapter does Hester Prynne appear in?

The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance. Chapter 2. The crowd outside the prison grows restless waiting for Hester Prynne to appear.

Why did the authorities take Pearl from Hester?

Rumors surface that the authorities are planning to take Pearl from Hester because they fear that Pearl is possessed and dangerous to Hester. And if Pearl isn't... (full context)

Where are Hester and Pearl in the cemetery?

One day, Chillingworth and Dimmesdale notice Hester and Pearl in the cemetery outside Dimmesdale's home . Pearl is playing on the headstones and... (full context) Pearl throws one of the burrs she is carrying toward Dimmesdale.

How long does Hester stay in prison?

About three years pass. Hester, now free from prison, decides not to leave Boston. She takes Pearl to live in... (full context)

What is Chapter 18 about?

Chapter 18 Quotes. But Hester Prynne, with a mind of native courage and activity, and for so long a period not merely estranged, but outlawed, from society, had habituated herself to such latitude of speculation as was altogether foreign to the clergyman. She had wandered, without rule or guidance, in a moral wilderness....

What is Hester's physical appearance?

Aside from Hester's beauty, which is dignified rather than delicate and described as shining behind her so strongly as if to make a 'halo of the misfortune' she has experienced, the most notable part of Hester's physical appearance is the A on her chest.

What is Hester's first physical description?

The first physical description of Hester follows just after her release. Described as a young woman, her actions are 'marked with natural dignity and force of character.'. Even though she is in prison and at the whim of others, her actions are described as appearing to be of her own free will.

What does Scarlet A stand for in the book?

The infamous scarlet A that she is forced to wear to shame her begins to be recognized as a symbol of her goodness. Toward the end of the novel, Hawthorne writes that people begin to interpret it as standing for Able. The truest testament to Hester's character, however, comes at the end of the novel.

What happens when Hester is released?

When Hester is released, she holds her 3-month-old child in her hands. The child, a product of her sin of adultery, stirs mixed feelings in Hester. She blushes, but maintains a 'glance that would not be abashed.'.

What happens to Hester's daughter at the end of the novel?

The truest testament to Hester's character, however, comes at the end of the novel. When her husband dies, he leaves a fortune to Hester's daughter, Pearl, even though Pearl is not his child. Hester and Pearl use the money to move away, but Hester eventually returns. After living at the edge of the Salem community for so long, under the weight of her sin, she cannot conceive of a life away. She does not just return, however; she takes up her scarlet A again, along with the weight of her sin, and continues to do penitence.

When was the Scarlet Letter written?

Book Summary. The Scarlet Letter, written in 1850 by Nathaniel Hawthorne, might seem archaic to modern readers. This is partly due to the fact that the novel is set in the 1640s, over 200 years before its publication. Hawthorne's most famous novel, The Scarlet Letter is the story of Hester Prynne, a young woman who commits adultery ...

Is Hester Prynne beautiful?

Although Hester Prynne is beautiful, her beauty barely compares to her strength of character. Even when she is punished for her crime of adultery and publicly humiliated by being forced to wear a scarlet A on her chest, Hester does not break.

Who is the protagonist in The Scarlet Letter?

Protagonist of The Scarlet Letter. "Hester Prynne & Pearl before the stocks", an illustration by Mary Hallock Foote from an 1878 edition of The Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne is the protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne 's 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter. She is portrayed as a woman condemned by her Puritan neighbors.

Why is Hester imprisoned?

Because Hester has no husband with her, she is imprisoned, convicted of the crime of adultery, and sentenced to be forced to wear a prominent scarlet letter 'A' for the rest of her life. Though scorned by her fellow citizens, Hester continues to lead a relatively uneventful life.

What is Hester's job after he is captured by Native Americans?

After he is shipwrecked and captured by Native Americans and presumed dead, Hester continues to live her life as a seamstress in the town. She looks to the local pastor Arthur Dimmesdale for comfort; somewhere along the way passion emerges, culminating in the conception and subsequent birth of their child, Pearl.

What are the contradictions of Hester Prynne?

All the contradictions of Hester Prynne – guilt and honesty, sin and holiness, sex and chastity – make her an enduring heroine of American literature. She is flawed, complex, and above all fertile.

What happened to Hester in The Scarlet Letter?

While Dimmesdale dies after his public confession and Chillingworth dies consumed by his own hatred and revenge, Hester lives on, quietly, and becomes something of a legend in the colony of Boston. The scarlet letter made her what she became, and, in the end, she grew stronger and more at peace through her suffering.

What does Hester do when she removes the letter and takes off the cap?

When she removes the letter and takes off her cap in Chapter 13, she once again becomes the radiant beauty of seven years earlier. Symbolically, when Hester removes the letter and takes off the cap, she is, in effect, removing the harsh, stark, unbending Puritan social and moral structure.

What does Hester turn to in the novel?

Here Hester turns to Dimmesdale for help, the one time in the novel where she does not stand alone. Hester's strength is evident in her dealings with both her husband and her lover. Hester defies Chillingworth when he demands to know the name of her lover.

What does Hester do when she takes off the cap?

Symbolically, when Hester removes the letter and takes off the cap, she is, in effect, removing the harsh, stark, unbending Puritan social and moral structure. Hester is only to have a brief respite, however, because Pearl angrily demands she resume wearing the scarlet A.

What is the most remarkable thing about Hester Prynne?

What is most remarkable about Hester Prynne is her strength of character . While Hawthorne does not give a great deal of information about her life before the book opens, he does show her remarkable character, revealed through her public humiliation and subsequent, isolated life in Puritan society. Her inner strength, her defiance of convention, her honesty, and her compassion may have been in her character all along, but the scarlet letter brings them to our attention. She is, in the end, a survivor.

What does Hester say in the first scene of the story?

In this first scene, Dimmesdale implores her to name the father of the baby and her penance may be lightened. Hester says "Never!" When asked again, she says "I will not speak!" While this declaration relieves Dimmesdale and he praises her under his breath, it also shows Hester's determination to stand alone despite the opinion of society. Hester's self-reliance and inner strength are further revealed in her defiance of the law and in her iron will during her confrontation with the governor of the colony.

What is Hester's inner strength?

Hester's self-reliance and inner strength are further revealed in her defiance of the law and in her iron will during her confrontation with the governor of the colony. Despite her lonely existence, Hester somehow finds an inner strength to defy both the townspeople and the local government.

Who is Hester in Scarlet Letter?

Subscribe Now. The main character of The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne, is a beautiful young woman whom readers first witness standing on the scaffolding of the town pillory. Hester is a widow who has been accused of committing adultery and having a child out of wedlock. The Puritan townspeople of Boston publicly torment and humiliate her.

What does Hester show in the book?

Throughout the novel, she demonstrates compassion and an indomitable strength of character. Since Hester is a widow—her husband is presumed to have been killed by Native Americans—town officials show mercy on her.

How does Hester demonstrate her strength?

Hester primarily demonstrates her strength by refusing to name the father of her child, the minister Arthur Dimmes dale. Her character provides a stark contrast against Dimmesdale, who harbors his guilt inwardly. Hester wears the “A” humbly on her chest, transforming it from an object of shame and scorn to one of reverence and praise. In addition, when Hester’s husband, Roger Chillingworth, returns to enact vengeance on the father of her child, Hester does not show fear. Despite the failings of both Dimmesdale to confront his guilt and Chillingworth to provide for his wife, Hester lives a fulfilling life and raises Pearl according to her own values. At the end of the novel, both Dimmesdale and Chillingworth die. Hester lives in Europe with Pearl for some time before returning to Boston, where she continues to live on the outskirts of town. She lives selflessly and modestly, devoting herself to women who are “wounded, wasted, wronged, [and] misplaced.” She vows to fight against injustice and imagines a future in which men and women have equal standing.

What does Hester wear on her chest?

Hester wears the “A” humbly on her chest, transforming it from an object of shame and scorn to one of reverence and praise. In addition, when Hester’s husband, Roger Chillingworth, returns to enact vengeance on the father of her child, Hester does not show fear.

Why does Pearl hold her daughter close to her chest?

She holds her infant daughter, Pearl, close to her chest in an effort to conceal the letter “A” which has been sewn into her gown and which she must wear as a public reminder of her adulterous sins.

Who is the father of Hester's child?

Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. Dimmesdale is a young man who achieved fame in England as a theologian and then emigrated to America. In a moment of weakness, he and Hester became lovers. Although he will not confess it publicly, he is the father of her child.

Who is Hester's husband in the novel?

“Roger Chillingworth” is actually Hester’s husband in disguise. He is much older than she is and had sent her to America while he settled his affairs in Europe. Because he is captured by Native Americans, he arrives in Boston belatedly and finds Hester and her illegitimate child being displayed on the scaffold. He lusts for revenge, and thus decides to stay in Boston despite his wife’s betrayal and disgrace. He is a scholar and uses his knowledge to disguise himself as a doctor, intent on discovering and tormenting Hester’s anonymous lover. Chillingworth is self-absorbed and both physically and psychologically monstrous. His single-minded pursuit of retribution reveals him to be the most malevolent character in the novel.

What does the scarlet letter mean in the book?

The letter, a patch of fabric in the shape of an “A,” signifies that Hester is an “adulterer.”.

Who is the narrator in The Salem Custom House?

The unnamed narrator works as the surveyor of the Salem Custom-House some two hundred years after the novel’s events take place. He discovers an old manuscript in the building’s attic that tells the story of Hester Prynne; when he loses his job, he decides to write a fictional treatment of the narrative. The narrator is a rather high-strung man, whose Puritan ancestry makes him feel guilty about his writing career. He writes because he is interested in American history and because he believes that America needs to better understand its religious and moral heritage.

Is Roger Chillingworth a monstrous character?

Chillingworth is self-absorbed and both physically and psychologically monstrous. His single-minded pursuit of retribution reveals him to be the most malevolent character in the novel. Read an in-depth analysis of Roger Chillingworth.

How Does Hester Prynne Change In The Scarlet Letter

The Infamous “A” Committing sin is an inevitable condition of human life. Forgiving a sin is not always easy; neither is forgetting. A reputation could be destroyed with one sin. It is troublesome enough to forgive one’s wrong and move on, but what about peers?

Juxtaposition In The Scarlet Letter

Throughout the passage from The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne uses Hester’s baby, Pearl, to illuminate the theme of beauty in a dark place. Once released from prison, Hester, an adulterer, becomes a public spectacle. Through this hard time, Hester has her daughter Pearl to soothe her and to bring her strength and hope for a better future.

Who Is The Strongest Character In The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne has many people fighting against the devil. The Scarlet Letter introduces amazing and talented characters, some are extravagant and others are monotonous.

Pearl And Reverend Dimmesdale In Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter

The relationship between Pearl and Reverend Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter is one that both intrigues the reader and keeps them wanting to find out more.

The Scarlet Letter: A Life Undone

A Life Undone By A Letter Hester’s character and personality are heavily scrutinized in D.H. Lawrence’s “ On The Scarlet Letter.” Lawrence’s unarguable acceptance of Puritan norms causes him to disagree with Hester’s characterization.

Janie Crawford In The Scarlet Letter

Janie Crawford is the main character of Their Eyes Were Were Watching God. Their Eyes Were Were Watching God is set in the early 20th century in Southern Florida. Janie being a Half Black woman experiences colorism, racism, and misogyny. These social disadvantages lead to Janie facing adversity and discrimination throughout the book.

Scaffold Symbolism In The Scarlet Letter

Matt Martin Mr. Anderson Honors English III 9 November 2017 Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a novel about Hester Prynne, a woman who commits adultery in a Puritan society, and how it affects her life.

What does Hester see in the Scarlet Letter?

Consequently, Hester to sees herself and everything she enjoys, such as sewing, as sinful. She continues sewing, though, which seems to symbolize that she would commit adultery again. Hester also shows some anger about her punishment. READ: The Scarlet Letter: Analysis, Summary, Themes.

What does Hester think of her actions?

In the first part, covering the first six chapters, Hester thinks of her action as a sin. In chapter four she tells her husband that it was her fault for committing adultery when she says, “I have greatly wronged thee” (79). In chapter six Hawthorne writes that Hester knows “her deed had been evil” (92). This evil deed, in Hester’s eyes, causes Pearl to act sinful, so Hester feels overwhelming guilt. At this point Hester feels that her actions were evil and were her fault, therefore she is sorry for committing adultery.

What does the scarlet letter mean in the book?

The Scarlet Letter was supposed to remind Hester and the townspeople of her sin and make her sorry about her act, but as Hawthorne writes, “The scarlet letter had not done its office” (160). Hester goes beyond her punishment and helps the poor, making the townspeople feel that the scarlet letter stands for “able” rather than “adultery” (156).

How does Hester start?

Hester starts by seeing her act as a sin that she is sorry for committing. She changes and no longer feels sorry for the sin. Finally, Hester sees the act as not sinful, but she regrets committing it.

What is the third part of Hester's development?

The third part of Hester’s development is found in the last chapter. Hester is an old woman who is now looked upon as an advisor. At this point in her life, she does not see her adultery as a sin, but for the sake of womanhood, she is regretful that she did it.

What does Hester's mood change?

Hester’s mood changes “from passion and feeling to thought” (1 58). Instead of seeing her act as impulsive, as an act of passion, Hester now inwardly decides that the act was not such an evil sin, and she is not sorry for committing it. She shows that she thinks the act she and Dimmsdale committed was not evil when she tells him, ...

Why did Hawthorne stay?

To the contrary, as Hawthorne describes, her real reason for staying is that “There dwelt, there trod the feet of one with whom she deemed herself connected in a union, that, unrecognized on earth, would bring them together before the bar of final judgment, and make their that marriage altar, for a joint futurity of endless retribution” (84). This comment means that the real reason for her staying is that Reverend Dimmsdale, the father of her child, lives there and she hopes to someday marry him.

Overview

Fictional character overview

Inspiration and influence

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