The Scarlet Letter: The Use Of Hester :: essays research papers

In The cherry-red Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne makes Hester Prynne the central figure in the story much ilk Susanna Rowson does with Charlotte in Charlotte Temple. The plots of the books are centered on these women the storylines occasionally move elsewhere to inform the reader of the happenings of other characters, but always returns to their respective feminine protagonist. The authors use of their leading ladies differs when providing a theme, however.Susanna Rowson uses Charlotte Temple as an example for the reader. By taking the reader on a journey through Charlottes life of perpetual misery, Rowsons narrator is able to point stunned where Charlotte makes poor decisions. With the reader now aware of the misdirected choices of Charlotte, the narrator warns the reader that any young girl could end up in the same grapheme of predicament. She then teaches the young female reader how she should react in a similar situation and the sober matron reader how to prevent such a dile mma from happening to her daughter. In summary, Charlotte Temples actions are employ to directly teach the theme as Rowson wishes.Nathaniel Hawthorne uses his main character in a completely different way. It is common for a reader of The Scarlet Letter to determine that the theme of the story is that adultery is bad, but that is not the case. Hawthorne is not promoting adultery that is true As Darrel Abel states in his essay, Hawthornes Hester, Although we are expected to love and pity Hester, we are not invited to condone her dishonor or to construe it as a virtue.1 Hester Prynne and her lecherous snake pit are Hawthornes means of conveying a different centre Hawthorne is more interested in uncovering the flaws of puritan society and the cunning of their reactions to Hester. The character of Hester Prynne is created as to exploit these flaws indirectly.The Puritan culture is one that recognizes Protestantism, a sect of Christianity. Though a staple of Christianity is forgivene ss for ones sins, this has long been forgotten amongst the women of Boston Morally, as well as materially, on that point was a coarser fibre in those wives and maidens of old English birth and breeding, than in their fair decendants.2 When Hester is first brought out of her prison cell, the gossiping goodwives urge much harsher punishments, from a brand on her forehead to death. Hester, who had done itsy-bitsy wrong prior to this sin of adultery, is no longer seen as a human being, but merely as a symbol of shabbiness and shame upon the town.