Is Hester Prynne A Hero

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Hester Prynne is seen by many as worthy of respect and admiration throughout Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter. She is ultimately seen as a hero in many areas of the novel. Literary critic Mark Van Doren argues that Hester Prynne is a heroic citizen who rises above the consequences of her sin. Van Doren argues that Hester Prynne should be seen as a noble hero through his use of repetition, praiseworthy diction, and admirable tone. Van Doren illustrates that Hester Prynne is a hero through the repetition of her heroic qualities. Throughout his criticism, Van Doren continuously explains how Hester is able to overcome the treatment she receives from her sin. He refers to her as “the heroine of a tragedy, and she understands the tragedy” (Van Doren). He points out that the novel is a tragedy multiple times to engrave into the reader’s mind how strong someone has to be to overcome something so somber. Stating that she has overcome a …show more content…

Through explaining her resilience, he shares that “her sudden revelation that through years of loneliness she has not consented to let her soul be killed” (Van Doren). It is evident that Hester does not think of her punishment as the end of her life as she continues to live and try to make the most of what she has. This proves to the audience that Hester must, at the very least, obtain the characteristic of perseverance, a quality worthy of respect. Van Doren praises Hester for her valor and believes that “Hester’s life has not been hollow, nor has her great nature been wasted” (Van Doren). His tone is so obviously reflected throughout his piece of criticism that his belief is etched into the readers’ minds, and they, too, begin to believe Hester Prynne is a hero. This quote is effective because it creates a picture for the reader that Hester is resilient and should be admired, as she continues to live her best life with what she

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