Hester Pryne Essay

A tragic hero is the main character that posses a tragic flaw that causes his or her downfall. In addition, the tragic hero develops specific characteristics, where the reader should feel pity for the hero as they see his or her successive tragedy. In the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the character Hester Prynne is view as a tragic heroine. Hester Prynne commits adultery and under Puritan laws, she has to wear a symbol for the rest of her life. Under her punishment, Hester Prynne suffers from the consequences of her sin and develops a tragic flaw that contributes to...

There are numerous characters in The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, that play noteworthy roles. The character that stands out the most is Hester Prynne. Hester changes significantly during the course of the novel. In the beginning of the novel she is conceived as an extreme sinner through the eyes of the Puritans; she has gone against Puritan ways, committing adultery (Chuck). For this irrevocably harsh sin, she must wear a symbol of shame for the rest of her life. However, the Romantic philosophies of Hawthorne put down the Puritanical beliefs (Chuck). She is a beautiful, young woman who has...

  The black swan is a symbol of Hester's soul; the great fire reflects a witch's purification, it is a kind of a cleansing ritual; Catwoman, who opens a world of 'unreal' for Hester and guides her through it, stands for the Master of a Witch Art. Catwoman embodies superstition. Though blind, she sees the future and recognizes Hester as a sister witch. However, is Hester indeed a witch? Her lover, Carthage left her for another woman, younger, more pretty, more wealthy. The whole village left her, she has no close friend with whom she could share her tragedy, despair...

- The Effects of Sin on Hester Scarlet Letter essaysThe Scarlet Letter The Effects of Sin on Hester Prynne Nathaniel Hawthorne believed his task was to analyze the effects of sin, whether thought or committed, on the human heart and mind. Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, deals with many themes, the most powerful being sin. In this novel, Hester Prynne becomes a highly respected person in a Puritan society by overcoming a constant reminder of her sin, a Scarlet letter A which she wears on her chest at all times. This object on "her bosom"; however, does the exact opposite of...

Symbolism is the practice of representing things by symbols. The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a book of much symbolism. Set in 16th century New England, the book starts with the public punishment of Hester Prynne, a convicted adulterer. One of the most complex and misunderstood symbols in the book is Hesters illegitimate daughter, Pearl. Throughout the story, she develops into a dynamic symbol - one that is always changing. Pearl represents her mothers punishment, a rose, and the scarlet letter.In The Scarlet Letter, the Puritans forced Hester to wear a scarlet letter A across for her chest, for...

The Scarlet Letter is a book of much symbolism. One of the most complex and misunderstood symbols in the book is Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne. Throughout the story Pearl develops into a prominent symbol of the “A”. In this essay the example of symbolism Pearl comes to represent will be explained. In the Scarlet Letter, Hester, for her sins, received a scarlet letter, “A” which she had to wear upon her chest for the rest of her life in Boston. This was the Puritan way of punishing her for her then criminal action of adultery. She wondered the...

The Scarlet Letter is a wonderful and not so traditional example of the good versus evil theme. What makes this a unique instance of good versus evil is that either side could be considered either one. Hester could very easily have been deduced as evil, or the "bad guy," as she was by the townspeople. That is, she was convicted of adultery, a horrible sin of the time. As for punishment, a sentence to wear a scarlet "A" upon her chest, it would hardly be considered a burden or extreme sentence in present day. Another sin that Hester committed was...

Hester's StoryHester's StoryRegarding The Scarlet Letter, the subject of of the main character has been widely debated by all. Some say that it is Hester's story, while others insist that it is Dimmesdale's story. Personally, it's quite obvious to me that the novel is centered around Hester, for she's the character that develops and grows the most. Throughout the story, Hester matured, became more independent and earned the respect of the townspeople.When Hester was first released from prison, she was openly defiant towards the townspeople. To rebel against her punishment, she elaborately embroidered the scarlet A into a beautiful work...

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is, on many levels, a struggle between good and evil. Each character falls on the spectrum of good and evi. Arthur Dimmesdale, an agent of God, is the town's most respected reverend. He is a deeply moral man who regrets the sins he has committed. He practices self-mutilation to punish himself for an affair with a married woman, Hester Prynne. Hester wears the Scarlet Letter, said to be the mark of the Black Man, as a punishment for her sin. Pearl, her daughter, asks her mother, "IS there such a Black Man? And didst...

One of the most complex and elaborate characters in The Scarlet Letter is Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Pearl, throughout the story, develops into a dynamic individual, as well as an extremely important symbol- one who is constantly changing. Pearl is involved in a complex history, and as a result is viewed as different and is shunned because of her mother's sin. Pearl is a living Scarlet A to Hester, as well as the reader, acting as a constant reminder of Hester's sin. Hawthorne uses vivid descriptions to characterize Pearl. She is first described as the...