The Scarlet Letter - Hester
Claim: Hester’s transformation from a symbol of sin to one of strength is representative of
Hawthorne’s departure from the Puritan beliefs he presents in his text.
Because The Scarlet Letter is a Romance, as opposed to a Novel, the idea that characters
can be symbols is made plausible.
-- Richard Chase writes: “Being less committed to the immediate rendition of reality than the
novel, the romance will more freely veer toward mythic, allegorical, and symbolistic forms.”
Furthermore, Hawthorne makes it clear that symbols can change throughout the story.
-- Millicent Bell writes: “[Hawthorne] suggests the opacity or unreliability of his signs...More
important, however, is his refusal to help us to assign final significance to these phenomena”
Predestination and Hester’s Transformation
Margot Shumaker
“...She would become the general symbol at which the preacher and moralist might point, and in
which they might vivify and embody their images of woman’s frailty and sinful passion…” (55)
“...Thus the young and pure would be taught to look at her...as the figure, the body, the reality of
sin…” (55)
“...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…” (106)
Able - Having sufficient strength
Resurrection - revival/revitalization especially of a person who has fallen into inactivity, disuse, or
obscurity
William Prynne an anti-catholic Puritan who was branded with the letters SL which stood for Seditious
Libeller, but he changed the meaning of that symbol to mean Stigmata Laudis (Scars of Laud) (38.
footnote 4)
Predestined Election - Neither faith nor works can save anyone, the “elect” are those arbitrarily
chosen for salvation by God (The Puritan Colony)
Feminism and Hester’s Transformation
Joana MacLeod
Hester’s
Transformation
The Puritans
Were Sexistis Feminist
“not
tolerable nor
comely in
the sight of
God nor 3.
Hester
enslaved
by her femininity.
In thebegins
end, Hester
is transformed
into
a symbol woman.
of strength.
becomes
an independent,
self
supporting
fitting for
“[...]
judgingwas
that
one token
her
would
but
poorly
serve
●● Strength:
Capacity
for seen
moral
effort
endurance;
firmness
(of mind,
“Herwisely
needle-work
on
theofor
ruff
ofshame
the Governor;
military
men
your sex,”
●
●
to
hide
another,
she took
the
on her
arm,
and, or
with
a burning
blush,
character,
will,
power
to resist
temptation
a difficult
wore
it on
theirpurpose);
scarfs,
and
thebaby
minister
on
his band;
it fulfil
decked
the baby’s
and
smile,
and
glance that
would
not be
abashed,
duty;
little yet
cap;a ithaughty
was shut
up, to
beamildewed
and
moulder
away,
in the coffins
looked
around
at
her
townspeople
and
neighbours,”
(40)
“Hester
comforted
of the dead”
(58) and counselled them, as best she might. She assured
them, too, of her firm belief, that, [...] a new truth would be revealed, in
order to establish the whole relation between man and woman on a
surer ground of mutual happiness. “ (166)
- Parallels between her and Anne Hutchinson (Michael Colacurcio,
"Men can do best, and Women
“Footsteps of Ann Hutchinson: The Context of The Scarlet Letter”)
know it well"
Levels and Hester’s Transformation
Vicky Gebert
“Hester Prynne,” he said, leaning over the balcony, and looking down steadfastly into her eyes, “Be not silent from
any mistaken pity and tenderness for him; for, believe me, Hester, though he were to step down from a high place,
and stand there beside thee, on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so, than to hide a guilty heart through life.”
(49)
Strength (OED): “power to resist temptation or fulfill a difficult duty”
The Scarlet Letter and Hester’s Transformation
Emma Leuchten & Kenny Xu
Millicent Bell: The letter “[speaks] both for the nature of [Hester’s] past and for the present condition of the wearer” (456).
Hester Prynne: “Were I worthy to be quit of [the letter], it would fall away of its own nature, or be transformed into
something that should speak a different purport” (110). (purport = intention, object, purpose)
Before: “Throughout them all, giving up her individuality, she would become the general symbol at which the
preacher and moralist might point, and in which they might vivify and embody their images of woman's frailty and
sinful passion”(55).
After: “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” (106).
“The effect of the symbol—or, rather, of the position in respect to society that was indicated by it—on the
mind of Hester Prynne herself, was powerful and peculiar… Some attribute had departed from her, the
permanence of which had been essential to keep her a woman” (107).
Vulnerability, “tenderness,” “passion” → “coldness,” “thought” (107)
“But did your reverence hear of the portent that was seen last night?---A great red letter in the sky, --- the letter A, which
we interpret to stand for Angel.”
-- The townspeople here shift their viewpoint of the letter on Hester from a symbol of sin and shame to one of an
“angel”, foreshadowing the transition of Hester’s symbol.
Feminism and Hester’s Transformation
1.
The Puritans Were Sexist
a.
Anne Hutchinson rebelled against Puritan norms
i.
b.
Anne Bradstreet
i.
2.
John Winthrop: “not tolerable nor comely in the sight of God nor fitting for your sex,”
“Men can do best, and Women know it well"
Hester’s transformation shows the feminism of the romance
a.
Hester begins enslaved by her femininity.
i.
b.
Hester becomes an independent, self supporting woman.
i.
c.
“[...] wisely judging that one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another, she took the baby on her arm,
and, with a burning blush, and yet a haughty smile, and a glance that would not be abashed, looked around at her
townspeople and neighbours,” (40)
“Her needle-work was seen on the ruff of the Governor; military men wore it on their scarfs, and the minister on his
band; it decked the baby’s little cap; it was shut up, to be mildewed and moulder away, in the coffins of the dead” (58)
In the end, Hester is transformed into a symbol of strength.
i.
ii.
iii.
Strength: Capacity for moral effort or endurance; firmness (of mind, character, will, purpose); power to resist
temptation or fulfil a difficult duty;
“Hester comforted and counselled them, as best she might. She assured them, too, of her firm belief, that, [...] a new
truth would be revealed, in order to establish the whole relation between man and woman on a surer ground of mutual
happiness. “ (166)
- Parallels between her and Anne Hutchinson (Michael Colacurcio, “Footsteps of Ann Hutchinson: The Context of The
Scarlet Letter”)