Changes of Hester Prynne in Hawthornes Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

In Nathanial Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter, the reader meets the example Hester Prynne who as the novel progresses, one notices the changes in her character are very(prenominal) dramatic. The changes are both physical and in her mannerisms. There are many signifi butt endt events which took place before the start of the novel and during the novel. about of these events that lead to this dramatic change include the affect of wearing the crimson letter, the secrets which she keeps, and her daughter Pearls evil characteristics. By these events, Hester Prynnes pic is transformed throughout the time of the story. As Hester wears the scarlet letter, the reader can feel how much of an outcast Hester becomes. When walking through town, she never embossed her head to receive their greeting. If they were resolute to accost her, she laid her finger on the scarlet letter and passed on (Hawthorne, 127).She believes that she is not worthy of the towns acknowledgments and chooses to ignore them. The viciousness that now rests in Hester is overwhelming to her and is a reason of her change in personality. The secrets which Hester keeps are because she is silent and hardly talks to anyone. Various critics have construe her silence as both empowering and disempowering Yet silence, in Hesters case, offers a type of passive resistance to male probing (Elbert, 258). One may refer back to the scene at the drawning when Reverend Wilson is toilsome to get the name of the other sinner. As Hester refuses, one may light upon this as a foreshadowing for other events. Hester is a strong fair sex who would not tell a soul the secrets that interconnect Dimmesdale and Chillingworth. The secrets however begin to take a toll of Hester especially as Chillingworth comes to town and is last to know who the father of Pearl is.As a living varan of Hesters extreme sin, Pearl is her constant companion. From the beginning Pearl has invariably been considered as an evil child. For Hest er to take care of such a demanding child, sic lots of stress onto her life. Hester at times was in a put in of uncontrollable pressure. Gazing at Pearl, Hester Prynne often dropped her work upon her knees, and cried out with an agony which she would lief have hidden, but which made utterance for itself, betwixt speech and a groan, O Father in heaven- if Thou art still my Father- what is this organism which I have brought into the world (Hawthorne, 77).