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Hester Prynne In The Scarlet Letter

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A heroine is a woman who is admired or idealized for her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. The novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne centers on the story of a heroine by the name of Hester Prynne. The novel is set in New England, where Hester resides in a strict Puritan community. From the beginning one learns that Hester is condemned to public humiliation for her crime of adultery. All through the novel Hester deals with the pressures from her community, from motherhood and from the men in her life as she attempts to redeem her freedom. Hester Prynne accepts the consequences of her actions by transcending the harsh criticism and shame from the Puritan community; therefore, she proves to be a pertinent heroine …show more content…
But the point which drew all eyes, and, as it were, transfigured the wearer,—so that both men and women, who had been familiarly acquainted with Hester Prynne, were now impressed as if they beheld her for the first time,—was that Scarlet Letter, so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom. It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity, and enclosing her in a sphere by herself (Hawthorne Ch …show more content…
Throughout the novel one can easily see Hester’s struggle to maintain certain secrets; one of these secrets being that Chillingworth is indeed her husband. This secret becomes too much for her to bear as it starts to put Mr. Dimmesdale in grave danger. Hester loves Dimmesdale and can clearly see that Chillingworth is attempting to inflict harm upon him. At first, Hester is only suspicious of Chillingworth’s actions towards her lover but as his intentions become clear, she resolves to tell Dimmesdale the truth behind his new doctor’s motives, “Her needlework was seen on the roof 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.” (Hawthorne Ch 17) Hester puts aside her fear of Chillingworth to protect her loved one. She is willing to risk everything to make sure that Dimmesdale is safe. Heroines drop everything and anything to protect those they love and to stand up for what they believe in, and Hester believes in love. People should stand up for love, even in times of despair and

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