Hester, Pearl, And Roger Chillingworth In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a remarkable American novel. Hawthorne created this story to have many different characters. The main characters of this book are Hester Prynne, Pearl, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. Most of these main characters evolved throughout the book, however, this is not true for all of them. Despite Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale evolving throughout The Scarlet Letter, the only character that did not change was Chillingworth, who was introduced as evil which eventually led to his demise.
In the beginning of the novel, the main character was introduced, Hester Prynne. Hester’s character evolved throughout the story both physically and emotionally. As she was being introduced, a town official led her out onto the scaffold where all the people of the town gathered to publicly shame her for her sin. As Hester arrived on the scaffold she tried to hide something on her chest, later revealed as a scarlet letter “A”, from the crowd. This subtle action was a sign that she was embarrassed and ashamed of what she had done. Although, Hester felt that her scarlet letter was a burden of shame on her life she eventually came to accept the scarlet letter that laid upon her bosom. As the story continued Hester stopped hiding the letter which signified that she took pride in it and was no longer ashamed of it, although the town still shunned her because of it. The letter had become so much a part of her that the first time she took
Blindness In The Scarlet Letter
1270 Words | 6 PagesShe receives three punishments from the townspeople, who claim they will free her from her sin. The community orders Hester to go to jail, wear a scarlet letter on her chest, and stand on the town scaffold for hours. Hester wears her scarlet letter proudly on her chest, and endures much suffering because of her public ridicule. Hester is “kept by no restrictive clause of her condemnation within the limits of the Puritan settlement” after she was released from prison, but she chooses to stay (Hawthorne 71). Later, Hester’s child, Pearl, symbolizes the Puritan view of Hester.
How Does Chillingworth's Character Change Throughout The Scarlet Letter
558 Words | 3 PagesA person’s outward appearance often influences the way others perceive their character. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Roger Chillingworth arrives in the colony to find that his wife, Hester, is being punished for extramarital relations. As the storyline continues, Chillingworth acts as the colony’s physician, becoming very close to Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne. Consequently, Chillingworth’s desire for revenge guided his appearance and interactions with Hester Prynne and Dimmesdale, ultimately altering his character.
How Does Dimmesdale Change Throughout The Scarlet Letter
631 Words | 3 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is commonly considered a classic, most likely due to it’s intense examination of the human soul. The Scarlet Letter is a novel about Hester Prynne, a woman who commits adultery and is therefore required to wear a scarlet ‘A’ on her chest, her lover, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, her legal husband, Roger Chillingworth, and her illegitimate child, Pearl. Throughout the novel Hester and Dimmesdale keep the fact that Dimmesdale is Pearl’s father a secret, and explores the consequences of their actions. Through the development of the previously listed characters Hawthorne provides great insight into the human condition, especially through the development of Dimmesdale.
How Did Chillingworth's Change In The Scarlet Letter
700 Words | 3 PagesIn stories or real life, individuals are influenced by their life changing experiences whether it was huge or small. Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author of The Scarlet Letter, built and wrote the characters with positive and negative influences in the story. Throughout the story, Roger Chillingworth’s character reveals and changes because of the influences from revenge. Since he is Hester Prynne’s husband, Roger Chillingworth became the antagonist when he realizes his wife committed adultery. He decides to take revenge on the man who Hester loves.
Essay On The Scaffold In The Scarlet Letter
1344 Words | 6 PagesThe Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, focuses on the life of Hester Prynne—the unlucky soul who is caught committing adultery and forced to live a life of shame and ignominy. The scaffold is not only the start of her predicament, but it is also the end of the once seemingly perfect Reverend Dimmesdale’s own guilt. The scaffold is the setting of a scene three times throughout the novel: the beginning, middle, and end. For such a lifeless object, it is difficult to recognize its significance in the novel; however, the scaffold is used by Hawthorne to portray the changing relationship between the characters, specifically Hester, Dimmesdale, and Pearl.
How Does Chillingworth Change Throughout The Scarlet Letter
499 Words | 2 PagesRoger Chillingworth, a small, thin, slightly deformed, former captive of indians, is an important character in “The Scarlet Letter,” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The author introduces his character into the story as a kind man willing to help those in need with his barely obtained knowledge. The Puritan society sees as a gift from god. Throughout the story, he becomes obsessed with revenge which causes his appearance as well as mental health to deteriorate. Citizens begin to notice his unhealthy mental state and begin to ask questions.
How Did Chillingworth's Character Change Throughout The Scarlet Letter
502 Words | 3 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne, the author of The Scarlet Letter, built and wrote the characters with positive and negative influences in the story. Throughout the story, Roger Chillingworth’s character were revealed and changed because of the influences from wanting revenge. Since he was Hester Prynne’s husband, Roger Chillingworth became the antagonist when he realized his wife had committed adultery. He decided to take revenge on the man who Hester loves. Even though he kept the man suffered, his action also showed positive influence toward his wife and Pearl later on.
Essay About The Mistakes Hester Prynne Ever Made
599 Words | 3 PagesIn the beginning the scarlet letter represented adultery and shame, but then the A represented “able.” Hester Prynne showed people that greatness can come out of huge mistake. One bad chapter does not mean your story is over. Willingly, Hester wanted to pick herself up again and move on with her life and eventually people noticed that. They began to respect her and think of her as strong and commendable
The Scarlet Letter Rhetorical Analysis
1014 Words | 5 PagesHester has to wear a letter A on her chest for her punishment of adultery. In The Scarlet Letter, the meaning and significance of the letter A is altered as the novel goes on. Hester, the townspeople, and Pearl all have views of the letter that change. Through their views of the letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author, reveals what his view on the letter is. Hester’s view of
Analysis Of Hester Prynne In The Scarlet Letter
896 Words | 4 PagesBy wearing the “A,” Hester was publicly humiliated, however, her development in character causes a change in the meaning of the Scarlet Letter, which leads her to taking pride in the letter as it grows a part of her. After Hester’s sin the Puritan community places a false
How Hester Prynne Changes In Scarlet Letter
941 Words | 4 PagesWhile her punishment changes her physical appearance, it has a far more profound effect on her character. Hester seems much older and worn down with the scarlet letter on her bosom. To Hester, the scarlet letter is a
Symbolism In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter
532 Words | 3 PagesThe Scarlet Letter is filled with many important symbols such as Hester's daughter Pearl, the meteor, and the scarlet letter "A" itself. This symbol "A" has a major effect on the plot, theme, and attitude of the characters in the novel. Hester, the protagonist, is forced to stand on a scaffold in front of the townspeople of Boston while wearing the scarlet letter "A" on her chest. She is wearing this symbol because she committed an act of adultery which is a sin in her community. Because she committed such sin, she is ridiculed and humiliated on the scaffold.
What Does The Deep Red Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter
940 Words | 4 PagesHawthorne uses symbolism throughout the Scarlet letter to display the sin and indecency people see Hester as. The detail represents ,the deep beauty Hester has inside although most people do not see her as a beutiful women. The deep red is a representation of adultery which shows her being an oncast from society. The symbol of the letter “A” is repetitive throughout the novel and grows with Hester and overcomes this with time as people start to see her as a person again and not just a adulterer. Hester acknowledges her sin in her puritan faith but swears to secrecy on the father of Pearl.
Essay On Evil In The Scarlet Letter
719 Words | 3 PagesThe townspeople “[began] to look upon the scarlet letter as a token, not of that one sin, for which she had borne so long and dreary a penance, but of her many good deeds since.” This quote exemplifies how sin is not a death sentence for Hester. Through hard work and charity it allowed the rigid Puritan society to see her as something different, and as someone who would not let society define who she was. Hester, thus, was not only able to change herself, but also the image in which society viewed her by working hard to benefit the public. Likewise, the scarlet letter which was supposed to represent sin was instead “fantastically embroidered with gold thread, upon her bosom.”
The Symbolism Of 'A' In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne
959 Words | 4 PagesReceiving the scarlet letter changed every aspect of Hester’s life. Especially at the start of the story, the letter symbolized the solitude and great suffering Hester faced just because of a letter placed on her bosom. The “A” also depicted how no one viewed Hester the same way as before her peccant actions. “…she saw that, owing to the peculiar effect of this convex mirror, the scarlet letter was represented in exaggerated and gigantic proportions, so as to be greatly the most prominent feature of her appearance” (Hawthorne 109). The pejorative community Hester lived in never saw Hester as the beautiful, young woman she was, but now, as a horrible fiend.
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