Hester Prynne, Scarlet Letter

A detailed Summary of Hester Prynne, Scarlet Letter


Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel of sin and forgiveness, The Scarlet Letter, takes a look at the life of a Puritan women named Hester Prynne. Hester is a scorned woman, having borne a child who can claim no father, in a corrupt and menaced society. Thought the book, the three most prominent traits of Mistress Hester Prynne are her pride, bravery, and trustworthiness.

Hester's pride is what sustains her through the years. From the beginning Hester tries to hide her shame by depicting the letter as a thing of beauty. She decorates and embroiders it until it becomes nothing more than a decorative symbol. "On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold threads, appeared the letter A...it had all the effect of a last and fitting decoration to the apparel she wore (pg. 57)." Hester still acknowledges her shame, when she, "In a moment, h


Through the courts of the novel, Hester proves herself able to keep numerous secrets. She refuses to reveal the name of Pearl's father even when questioned by the Reverend Wilson. She knows that if she does not name the father, her innocent daughter will forever be a mark of sin, but to Hester the promise she took upon Dimmesdale is too important to sacrifice. Hester also consents to hide the truth about Chillingworth's true identity. When he visits Hester in her cell and requests that she not reveal who he really is, " Breathe no thy secret, above all to the man thou wottest of... I will keep thy secret, as I have (pg. 28)." She only disavows this one secret in fear of Dimmesdale's life.

Without her bravery, she might have lost both Pearl and her own self-respect. Her bravery shines through when she is patronized in front of the town. "With almost a serene deportment, therefore, Hester Prynne pa

Some common words found in the essay are:
Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, Governor Bellingham, Reverend Wilson, Hester Prynne's, Prynne Hester, Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne's, hester prynne, scarlet letter, hester's pride, thy secret,

Approximate Word count = 609
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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