Sin and Pennance as seen in The Scarlet Letter

A detailed Summary of Sin and Pennance as seen in The Scarlet Letter

Hester Prynne, through the eyes of the Puritans, is an extreme

sinner; she has gone against the Puritan ways, committing adultery. For

this irrevocably harsh sin, she must wear a symbol of shame for the rest of her life. "On the breast of her gown, in a fine red cloth surrounded by an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter 'A.'" Hester's scarlet "A" serves as a public symbol of her private sin. Because Hester is able to declare her guilt openly, she is freed from excessive remorse, and her sin serves to enrich and dignify rather than to destroy her. The letter makes her stronger and more an individual. As foreshadow as Hawthorne speaks of the scarlet letter, "..It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity and enclosing her in a sphere by herself," Hester indeed does isolate herself, and stays ".... out of the sphere of

All in all, in the conclusion of the book, Hawthorne demondstrats to us that Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmsdale, whom both commited the same sin, but dealt and lived with it in completly different ways, were ultimately both forgiven. We learn that their graves were next to one another, but "..with a space inbetween, as if the dust of the two sleepers had no right to mingle." but, in the end "Yet one tombstone served for both." Finally, we are left with:

social activity.." and moves out to an isolated cottage. Hester decides that "Here....had been the scene of her guilt, and here should be the scene of her earthly punishment, the torture of her daily shame would at length purge her soul and work out another purity than that which she had lost; more saintlike, because of the result of matyrdom. Hester Prynne, therefore did not flee." This is where she sinned, this shall be where she suffers and gives penance

Some common words found in the essay are:
Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, Arthur Dimmsdale, Able Hester, hester prynne, scarlet letter, project onto, Scarlet Letter,

Approximate Word count = 617
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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