"The Scarlet Letter"

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses the book "The Scarlett Letter", by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The paper analyzes how Hester's resilience as a condemned woman in her town is also extremely heroic, as it is clear that she will never be free from the scarlet letter. The paper examines how Hester undergoes an extreme and unnecessary humiliation under strict patriarchal rules. The writer proposes that she is a hero, since she also must follow rules that place an extremely harsh punishment for women for the crime of adultery.

From the Paper:

"The evolution of the symbol of the scarlet letter changes dramatically throughout the novel. Hawthorne makes initially makes it a symbol of the penalty of adultery, which Hester must wear in order to identify her crimetp the townspeople. In this manner, she appears victimized by her `badge', but is able to win their tolerance because her sincere respect for breaking marital tradition. In Chapter XIII, Hawthorne writes on how Hester felt about her badge: The effect of the symbol--or rather, of the position in respect to society that was indicated by it--on the mind of Hester Prynne herself, was powerful and peculiar (para.6). The `power' of the symbol is initially strong, and Hester bows to the town's laws. This reflects the societal view of the adulteress symbol, through Hester's initial response to the scarlet letter."

More papers on "The Scarlet Letter" :

• Analytical Essay # 142408 : "Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter"
• Analytical Essay # 124563 : "Characters in "The Scarlet Letter"
• Analytical Essay # 124489 : "Perspectives on "The Scarlet Letter"
• Analytical Essay # 120733 : "Adultery in "The Scarlet Letter"

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