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an analysis of feminism in the scarlet letter
feminism in the Scarlet Letter
feminism in the scarlet letter essay
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“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it” (Maya Angelo). This is part of the theme in the audio novel, The Scarlet Letter, which is based on a fiction in a historical setting. The author Nathaniel Hawthorne writes about feminism dealing with a strong women name Hester Prynne during the puritan’s time that overcomes and defeats her shame of sin.
To start off, the word feminist referred to as a woman who is fighting for their rights. It is the undertaking supporting the rights of women. Feminist is when a woman put in determination to improve herself. At times, men can bring women’s
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Hester had no choice but to wear the letter A on her chest and she was the most target of tattle among townspeople, however she kept on pushing ahead and was strong-minded and strong-willed. In addition to her discipline and punishment of submitting adultery, Hester first needed to remain on a framework, and afterward wear the letter for whatever is left of her life. Unlike Hester, other women would have been scared and cry their teary eyes out, or they may would have asked for compassion when they were given such cruel discipline; in any case, Hester challenged her destiny boldly. She remained on the platform and persevered through the shame for a long time and did not ask or argue. She kept her pride while defending her significant other, yet her courageousness did not stop her. Hester did not ponder to help other people anyhow when she was wearing the letter since she realized that it was her obligation to individuals who were more hopeless than she was. Going out in open places with the letter A must has been a very dishonor and disgrace, but Hester persevered through those sentiments and tackled the townspeople with fearlessness. That is why Hester is a feminist all around and I say this because she did not give up; instead, she defeated her
As Hester wears the scarlet letter, the reader can feel how much of an outcast Hester becomes. When walking through town, “…she never raised her head to receive their greeting. If they were resolute to accost her, she laid her finger on the scarlet letter and passed on” (Hawthorne, 127).She believes that she is not worthy of the towns acknowledgments and chooses to ignore them. The guilt that now rests in Hester is overwhelming to her and is a reason of her change in personality.
The letter ‘A’ that she wore on her bosom plastered Hester’s scandal all over the community. Pearl, the daughter of the sinner’s, was being parented by Hester, which constantly reminded her of the sin everyday. The community looked down upon Hester and Pearl, but instead of letting it get to them, Hester accepted the consequences therefore she tried to move on. Although the family dealt with a lot of criticism from fellow Puritans, they did not let those thoughts get into their heads. Hester was a popular seamstress in her time, even though she was unable to make wedding veils because of the sin she committed. “Why, look you, she may cover it with a brooch, or suchlike heathenish adornment, and so walk the streets as brave as ever!” (Hawthorne 49). The sin made Hester determined because she came to self-realization and broke free.
Feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes. In simple terms, it is the ideology of women being equal to men and it is often misinterpreted as the belief of women being above them. Feminists believe in diminishing patriarchy which is a system of society and or government in which men are considered more powerful than women. When people are against feminism they are supporting sexism which is why it is important to educate ourselves on the matter and to understand why we need it.
Despite being cast out, Hester quickly gets to work making garments for the townspeople, despite their unsympathetic treatment toward her. She does not depend on a man to be the breadwinner in the family, bringing in a “subsistence of the plainest and most ascetic description, for herself, and a simple abundance for her child,” Thus, the scarlet letter on her chest took on a whole new meaning, as “any 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” (213). Hester, aside from her child, is basically alone throughout her life, but still manages to draw strength from inside and treat others with kindness and passion, proving her a strong woman.  Hester’s acts of kindness are not the only thing that sets her apart from the rest of the Puritans. She represents going against the status quo as a whole, thinking independently from the church ideology the townspeople follow like
In 1950, Margaret Sanger wrote the research, which was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 1960, to create the first human birth control pill in history. Through the creation of this contraceptive, “the belief in the right of woman to control her own fertility” was taken into account, removing women from the totalitarian rule of men (People & Events: The Pill and the Women’s Liberation Movement). The idea of women to be able to control when she did or did not want to have children was not a belief expressed in the Puritan society. In Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter, he explores the barriers faced by Hester Prynne both internally and externally due to the shame of the consequences of adultery. In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne utilizes symbolism to depict his theme of female independence in a male dominated society to encourage the importance of female sexuality.
There are situations during the first part of the Scarlet Letter where Hester responds to the community’s power differently. As Hester stood on the scaffold, babe in hand, community officials demanded she “Speak out the name!” (Ch. 3; Pg. 47). Though pressed with legitimate power, Hester refuses and withdraws from answering who the father of the sin-born baby is. The reader already begins to notice the strong spirit of Hester. The characterization of Hester continues to develop throughout this section when she “ … did not flee.” The adulterer’s inner strength to not withdraw is astonishing. Why not leave the people who just judged you and imprisoned you? Hester and Pearl lived “On the outskirts of the town … but not in close vicinity to any other habitation” (Ch. 4; Pg. 55). The mother decided to stay, but still withdrew from the community. Hester begins to do service for the poor as well as make clothing for a community that harshly judged her. She begins to embrace her position in this power imbalance by doing good deeds, and the narrator suggests that “None so ready as she to give of her little substance to every demand of poverty” (Ch. 13; Pg. 110). The view of Hester by the community changes towards the end of the book. Her “A” was now viewed to mean “able.” No longer did it mean it regular interpretation. Hester at first was on the negative spectrum of responses to power, but we see her embrace her position in the community in the third part of the
Written in 1850, The Scarlet Letter stood as a very progressive book. With new ideas about women, main characters’ stories intertwined, and many different themes, The Scarlet Letter remains today as a extremely popular novel about 17th century Boston, Massachusetts. Not only was the 19th century a time for the abolition of slavery movement but it was also the beginning of the first wave of feminism. Women such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucretia Mott catalyzed the women’s rights movement. These prominent women believed that a woman’s role was no longer in the house and that women should be afforded the same opportunity as men. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s sympathy for women is evident in a feminist reading of his novel The Scarlet Letter.
Feminism, in its simplest definition, is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. (Webster) Feminists fight for equality for women to men socially, politically, and economically. At the peak of feminist discourse is equality for men and women in education and in employment. However, feminism also focuses on more than issues regarding the rights of women in relation to men. Issues of gender equality and women’s right to control their sexuality are also at the core of feminist theory. A key argument made by many feminists is how women have very little control over their sexuality, mainly being defined and controlled by men. T...
The letter "A," worn on Hester's bodice, is a symbol of her adultery against Roger Chillingworth. This letter is meant to be worn in shame, and to make Hester feel unwanted. "Here, she said to herself, had been the scene of her guilt, and here should be the scene of her earthly punishment . . ." Hester is ashamed of her sin, but she chooses not to show it. She committed this sin in the heat of passion, and fully admits it because, though she is ashamed, she also received her greatest treasure, Pearl, out of it. She is a very strong woman to be able to hold up so well, against what she must face. Many would have fled Boston, and sought a place where no one knew of her great sin. Hester chose to stay though, which showed a lot of strength and integrity. Any woman with enough nerve to hold up against a town which despised her very existence, and to stay in a place where her daughter is referred to as a "devil child” is a very tough woman.
“Feminism”, as defined today, is “1: the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes,” and “2: organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests.”2 Many critics claim that feminism has been active longer than the word itself has existed.3 The word, “feminist” was not in true use until the late 1800s and early 1900s, but activism for women’s rights was alive and well a...
A feminist is someone who is trying to advocate for the equality of women. I believe ...
Feminism is the result of the woman’s liberation movement, which began in the 18th century and gained momentum in the late 19th century after it was found that males were completely dominating every area of life. The word feminism at any point in time, has had many negative connotations to it as well as a good majority of the
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘The Scarlet Letter’ was considered by many as the controversial novel of its time, given its themes of pride, sin and vengeance. It was also set in a time when very few were thinking about the equality of of men and women, but Hawthorne managed to bring gender-based inequality to light through the novel’s male-dominated Puritan setting and by reversing the gender roles of characters, such as Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale.
Feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economics. Women and men should ultimately be treated as equals. The feminist movement came from radical feminism and cultural feminism. These movements heightened respect for women. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter can be analyzed through a feminist lens. To do this, one must look at the characters, men and women in general, and symbols. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses Hester Prynne to defy the social norms of Puritan Boston and show the strength women possess. He uses Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth to show the weakness men hold. He uses Pearl to represent much more than a result of sin. Additionally, he uses the scarlet letter to symbolize more than just adulterer. The novel takes place in Puritan Boston; a time when women were considered inferior. In the Puritan times women were considered powerless, gossips, and taught to serve husband, the church, and family. Men are respected figures in the community, and they are to be the ones with wisdom and knowledge. However, Nathaniel Hawthorne shows us through his characters that women and men do not fulfill the roles society gives them. Hester Prynne is an adulteress. As punishment, she is forced to wear a scarlet ‘A’ on her chest. Prynne’s lover, Arthur Dimmesdale works as a minister and cannot cope with his own sin. When Prynne’s husband, Robert Chillingworth returns, he is filled with vengeance. Prynne and Dimmesdale have a daughter out of wedlock named Pearl. To view The Scarlet Letter through a feminist lens, we must look at the actions and thoughts of Hester Prynne, Roger Chillingworth, and Arthur Dimmesdale as well as the scarlet ‘A’ and Pearl as symbo...
Feminism is the movement towards women’s equality. It fights for equal rights in the social, political, cultural and economical aspects for women. Feminism also fights for equal opportunity for women in employment and education. A feminist is someone who advocates their support for women’s rights but is not restricted to only women; anyone who supports women’s rights and equality are feminists, including men. Feminism is not only about the females, it fights for gender equality for all. Feminist movements, or Women’s movements, campaign for reforms in household issues with domestic violence, political issues with equal pay, employment and maternity leave, and reproduction rights. All feminism movements fight for equal rights, but it cannot be conquered or be made known all at once. First wave feminism was mostly about women’s suffrage and political equality in general. Second wave feminism went more in depth about the social and cultural inequalities.