Scarlet Letter
- This is a preview of the essay.
To view the full text you must login!
The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter is mainly about a woman, Hester Prynne, who lives in Boston and has committed the treacherous sin of adultery. She is forced to wear the letter "A" on her chest in order to reminder herself and others of the horrible deed she has done. She also has a daughter by the name of Pearl from this out-of-wedlock encounter. She is also a constant reminder of the affair. The narration focuses mainly on the pain inflicted to Hester by the townspeople, Pearl, and her husband, or so it seems. I would have to agree with the critic Randall Stewart when he stakes claim that: "[Hester] is no the protagonist," but that "he (Arthur Dimmesdale) is the persecuted one, the tempted one."
It is true that Hester Prynne was the center of the town's attention for an extended period of time, and also the subject of many sermons. But even throughout her isolation and burdens, she was strong enough to change herself and the minds of the townspeople. Hester worked through the daily reminders of the scarlet "A" on her chest and the young child at her feet, to transform her title from "adulterer" to "able." By feeding the poor, making them clothes, and donating to other worthy causes, she was able to overcome her pain, shame, and suffering...