Scarlet letter 2
Scarlet letter 2Scarlet Letter - Punishment and Death
Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter deals with many themes, among those
including punishment and death. Utilizing the theme of punishment, the
central character, Hester Prynne, was forced to wear an embroidered scarlet
letter on "her bosom" for the rest of her life as a sign of her sin of
adultery. This object; however, has the opposite affect as a punishment and
as people of the community begin to forget the original significance of the
letter it comes to bear a new meaning, able. In the thirteenth chapter of
this book, Hawthorne comes out and in the third person states "the scarlet
letter had not done its office."
Hester has gone beyond the letter of the law and done everything asked
of her. She becomes quite a popular seamstress, heralded all over the town
of Boston for her work. She herself wears only drab clothing of ordinary
clothing, punishing herself with humility. There is only one piece of
clothing that she is forbidden to make, the wedding vail, it is assumed
that she can not possibly represent the values of a marriage. It would be
most improper to have one who has committed as sin as she had to be
involved in the marital bonds of another couple. Nevertheless, she does her
work dutifully and completely.
She is emotionately worn out by all the work and penance for her sin.
Midway through the novel she no longer appears as a hidden beauty. Hester
now wears her hair in a cap, and the only effort of considerable worth is
that which she expends in her teachings to Pearl. She has earned the towns
people respect. People now regard the letter as representing the word
"able."
As the Reverend Dimmesdale refers to Pearl in...
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