Hester Prynne A Heroine

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne has been considered one of the greatest American novels since its publication in 1850. In this classic, Hawthorne tells the story of a young woman named Hester Prynne, who committed adultery and became pregnant and lived during the time of Puritan New England. She refuses to tell anyone the name of her lover including her husband, Roger Chillingworth. This story follows the lives of Hester and Pearl, who is her daughter and the result of the affair. Hester Prynne is a heroine because she overcame the hatred of her community with tremendous courage, she was ashamed of the scarlet letter on her chest and was judged harshly because of it which caused her to have an enormous amount of guilt; she found

Because she wanted to provide for her daughter,Pearl, and protect her from the hatred of the community, Hester decided she would offer her seamstress skills to the community while she and Pearl lived in a little cottage near the woods outside the village. The townspeople came to appreciate all the work she would do for them and they said, “Such helpfulness was found in her,-so much power to do, and power to sympathize,-that many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength.”(page 168). “The scarlet letter had not done its office.”(page 173), it was supposed to weaken Hester and break her down, but instead it had given her a new ability and strength. Because of this, Hester was able to sympathize with other people and this allowed her to bring out the kindness that was hidden in her heart. She helped the poor, and the sick, she provided them with food and clothing even though they did not show any gratitude towards her for the services she provided. Hester became a woman that the other women could go to when they needed guidance and or advice. Hester made such positive changes in how she lived that, “It was debated whether or no, with safety to the common weal, yonder scarlet letter might be taken off your bosom."(page 176). This goes to show how she was able to take all the hatred and

Hester worked hard to forgive herself and when she did, she was able to she earn the respect of her community. When her fellow townspeople saw all the good she did, the scarlet letter was no longer seen as the shameful, guilty symbol it once was, but it was seen as a symbol of her strength and courage which proves how Hester Prynne is a