Scarlet Letter
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"Women's intellect should never give the tone to that of man; and even her morality is not exactly the material for masculine virtue. [It is] a false liberty which mistakes the strong division-lines of nature for arbitrary distinctions."
- Nathaniel Hawthrone, Biography of Ann Hutchinson
Nathaniel Hawthrone's quote in the Ann Hutchinson biography contradicts the portrayal of the character of Hester Prynne in his own famous novel, The Scarlet Letter. Hawthrone comments on how women's morality, virtue and intellect are elements of the human spirit that cannot be surpassed or compared to those in men. This negative connotation of women goes against feminist beliefs and supports feminine stereotypes. However, there is sufficient evidence in The Scarlet Letter to prove that Hawthrone believes that women have strong morals, honor and a sense of responsibility.
In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne is a woman who commits adultery in a Massachusetts colony during the Puritan Era. Hester's punishment for committing this sin and not revealing the identity of the father of her child, is to wear a scarlet "A" on her chest. The "A" stands for adultery and Hester is forced to wear it for the rest of her life. However, Hester does not hide the scarlet letter from public view, instead she embroiders and decorates the letter on her chest...