had equal roles in the founding of this country. Nathaniel Hawthorne was one of the first writers to feature women as prominent figures in his literary works. He got the idea to use women characters from Sir Walter Scott, who changed the role of women characters forever when he wrote the novel, The Heart of Midlothian. In this work, no stereotypical roles were assigned to his female characters such as Magdalene, Eve, madonna, the wife of Bath, drudge, or vampire. In Hawthorne's works, The Scarlet Letter, Rappaccinni's Daughter, and The Birth-mark, each female character is portrayed as unique and unconventional. Hawthorne expanded the characters of women through his use of five recurring themes: the nature of women, the power of passion, the discovery of evil, the problem of guilt, alienation, pride, and initiation.

According to some, Hawthorne is able to capture the beauty and intensity of the female character because of his upbringing. Hawthorne grew up with two sisters and a widowed mother. He married Sophia Peabody, an intellectual and emotional peer, and together they raised two outspoken daughters. To Hawthorne, wo

Even after Georgiana drank the potion that would cause the crimson hand to fade away, Aylmer still gazed "often at the fatal Hand, and not without a shudder." As he watched, the mark faded, and he became overjoyed as he told his "'peerless bride, it [was] successful! You are perfect!'" Sadly Aylmer had rejected the best that earth had to offer and Georgiana died as a result of the experiment and her husband's obsession.

and the squatter's hut. Without destiny and ... flamboyant marksman-

The main character in Rappaccini's Daughter, Beatrice, was nourished upon poisonous plants by her father until she becomes poisonous herself. It is interesting to draw the parallel of poison between Pearl and Beatrice. However, Beatrice was not born in guilt, but she was brought up amid guilty association. Beatrice was nourished upon poisonous plants until she herself becomes poisonous. Pearl inherits poison because of her parents' guilt. However Beatrice was not born in guilt; she was raised amid a guilty association.

Hester learns from her sin and grows strong as a result of her acceptance of her punishment. For Hester, "the scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread. Shame, Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers-stern and wild ones -and they had made her strong." At the end of the novel, Hester emerged from her experiences as a respected woman capable of helping others, and she has the happiness that comes from being at peace with oneself, one's fellow men, and with one's God.

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Approximate Word count = 2406
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)