Hester Prynne's Judgment In The Scarlet Letter

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Love can cloud one’s own moral judgement. Hester Prynne’s judgment is clouded by love throughout Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter. Critic Nina Baym states “if she could accept that judgement she would be able to see purpose and meaning in her suffering. But ultimately she is unable to transcend her heartfelt judgement that she has not sinned” (Baym). Although some critics believe that Hester understood her sin and its inevitability, her impulsive decisions and never failing love for Pearl and Arthur Dimmesdale keep her from repentance.
Although some critics may say Hester understood her sin, her love for Pearl and Dimmesdale keep her from this. Hester takes Pearl with her to the Governor’s mansion to demand she keep guardianship of Pearl, “the mother herself...lavishing many hours of morbid ingenuity, to create an analogy between the object of her affection, and the emblem of her guilt and torture” (Hawthorne 59). Hester has dressed Pearl up in scarlet as an act of rebellion out of pride. Hester has pride in Pearl and for this reason is blindsided to her sin. Though her reason for staying in the Puritan community over leaving was suffering punishment and repentance, this act of defyment is contradictory showing she is simply proud of Pearl and does not care for repentance. After Hester makes the decision with Dimmesdale to leave their community, Hester casts away her scarlet letter, Pearl brings Hester …show more content…

She does not understand her sin and its inevitability, as shown by her impulsive decisions and love for Pearl and Dimmesdale in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter. Love influences Hester’s major decisions and outlook on her sin. Love makes her unable to truly reach repentance through her lack of understanding. The sheltered perspective love brings can make your morals

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