Hester Prynne is the protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, published in 1850 and set in Puritan Boston in the 1640s. Sentenced to wear an embroidered scarlet letter A on her clothing for the rest of her life after bearing a daughter, Pearl, out of wedlock, Hester endures years of public shame and social isolation with quiet dignity, supporting herself and her daughter through needlework while steadfastly refusing to name the child's father to the town's authorities. That father is eventually revealed to be the town's revered minister, Arthur Dimmesdale, who is slowly destroyed by the private guilt he conceals while Hester bears her punishment openly, a contrast the novel uses to examine hypocrisy, sin and the different ways public and private shame can consume a person. Over time Hester's dignified endurance transforms the community's view of her, and the scarlet letter that once marked her disgrace comes to be read by some as a symbol of her strength. Hester Prynne is widely regarded as one of American literature's earliest and most fully realized female protagonists.
Facts
Narrative RoleSourced to the subject's own accountProtagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter, condemned by her Puritan neighbors for bearing a child out of wedlock. 1 Defining TraitSourced to the subject's own accountRegarded by critics as among the first and most important female protagonists in American literature for the way she bears her public condemnation. 1 Narrative role (class)Sourced to the subject's own account Connections
Sources
1. Hester Prynne (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLead section, paragraph 1Quote, Lead section, paragraph 1
The character has been called "among the first and most important female protagonists in American literature".
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.