Essay about The Feminist Scarlet Letter - 1810 Words

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Scarlet Letter can easily be seen as an early feminist piece of work. Nathaniel Hawthorne created a story that exemplifies Hester as a strong female character living with her choices, whether they were good or bad, and also as the protagonist. He also presents the daughter of Hester, Pearl, as an intelligent female, especially for her age. He goes on to prove man as imperfect through both the characters of Dimmesdale and of Chillingworth. With the situation that all the characters face, Hawthorne establishes the female as the triumphant one, accomplishing something that, during Nathaniel Hawthorne’s time, authors did not attempt. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In the beginning of the book, Hawthorne paints†¦show more content†¦At first Hester, agrees to Chillingworth’s terms to keep his real identity a secret. This in return hurt Dimmesdale, her secret lover. She does not stand up to Chillingworth out of fear of the chain effect of damage it would cause. Hester says, â€Å"I will keep thy secret, as I have his†, which in essence shows her weakness towards a male. Yet, at the end of the book, she recognizes that she must â€Å"do what might be in her power for the rescue of the victim on whom [Chillingworth] had so evidently set his gripe†. She comes to the conclusion that hiding Chillingworth’s secret does not help Dimmesdale like she hopes, but in fact, hurts him further. The fact that she realizes this, though, displays her to be an devoted and loyal person. These qualities display many things a female, main character, in those times, did not have much opportunity to play, esp ecially in the role of which Hester plays it. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Hester with society also proves to be a strongly feministic aspect of The Scarlet Letter. Hester, as a female sinner, throughout the book, proves not to be a burden on society. Although she is an outcast, many find it hard to not admire the way she holds herself, especially due to the situation she is in. The admiration grows as the story continues. At first, the main admiration for Hester is her skill with the needle. Many of the townspeople regard Hester’s work as the latest trend. â€Å"HerShow MoreRelatedThe Feminist Scarlet Letter1801 Words   |  8 PagesThe Scarlet Letter can easily be seen as an early feminist piece of work. Nathaniel Hawthorne created a story that exemplifies Hester as a strong female character living with her choices, whether they were good or bad, and also as the protagonist. He also presents the daughter of Hester, Pearl, as an intelligent female, especially for her age. He goes on to prove man as imperfect through bot h the characters of Dimmesdale and of Chillingworth. With the situation that all the characters face, HawthorneRead MoreIs The Scarlet Letter A Feminist Novel?1456 Words   |  6 PagesAshley Noack M. Chau-Lee English 3H 11/ 13/14 Is The Scarlet Letter A Feminist Novel? A feminist is defined in the British Dictionary as a person who advocates equal rights for women. However incredulous it may sound, women had to fight for rights for equality in things such as politics, economics, and their personal affairs. If the revolutionary feminist concepts were surfacing in the time of Nathaniel Hawthorne, circa 1850, then how was it that he was inspired to write Hester’s character? HoweverRead MoreIs The Scarlet Letter A Feminist Novel?1659 Words   |  7 PagesIs The Scarlet Letter a Feminist Novel? Women all have something in common: they have all encountered a form of gender-based discrimination. Some women in countries have experienced harsher segregations than others. For instance, women in Pakistan have experienced severe discrimination a prohibition of education. One woman who is well known for being an activist for the education of women is Malala Yousafzai. Malala is a woman who has inspired many oppressed others to fight for their education.Read MoreFeminist Criticism : The Scarlet Letter 1324 Words   |  6 PagesAndrea Rhoden English IV Almack 1st six weeks The Scarlet Letter:Feminism Feminist criticism is a form of literary criticism that uncovers the common mistreatment of women in literature. For centuries, women have been viewed as the minorities, unable to control and protect themselves. In history, women have had little to no voice in the world, what little bit of a voice they have is only obtained through marriage. Men are so dominant that they are able to get away with crimes far easier than womenRead MoreIs the Scarlet Letter a Proto Feminist Novel1510 Words   |  7 Pages21, 2012 Is The Scarlet Letter a Proto Feminist Novel? â€Å"Is The Scarlet Letter a Proto Feminist Novel?† The Scarlet Letter is a very well-known novel, between the scandals and lies. It starts off with a woman named Hester Prynne. Hester decides to leave her husband behind to migrate to Boston. A couple years later, Hester gives birth to a baby girl named Pearl in prison. Hester refused to reveal the father of Pearl. The town then forces Hester to wear a scarlet letter A upon her dressRead MoreScarlet Letter Feminist Novel Essay769 Words   |  4 PagesIs The Scarlet Letter a feminist novel? Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter is about a woman living in Boston during the 1630s. Her name is Hester Prynne and she has committed the crime of adultery and is caught when she is found to be pregnant. The book picks up when she is having a scarlet A placed on her breast for â€Å"adultery† and after the child is already born. After 7 more years, it picks up and the readers can see what she goes through and how she and the townspeople around herRead MoreHester Prynnes The Scarlet Letter : A Feminist Novel805 Words   |  4 Pages The scarlet letter would be considered a feminist book because of the strength that Hester showed while all of society rejected her, and her daughter pearl. In the scarlet letter there is a women who is introduced to us known as Hester Prynne. In the story it tells us the life of Hester and her struggle living in a society that has alienated her because she has committed adultery. The scarlet letter is a feminist nov el because of the strength that Hester has as a women throughout the bookRead MoreFeminist Movement in Nathaniel Hawthrone ´s The Scarlet Letter1469 Words   |  6 PagesWritten at the start of the feminist movement, The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne holds close ties with both the cause and the ideology behind it. By the definition of feminism as the empowerment of female rights, Hawthorne effectively uses the adulteress Hester Prynne as the symbol of women rights as she develops, matures, and expands her rights within Boston. During the colonial era, women were viewed as property, nothing more than just submissive mothers, and this view was constantly fueledRead More New Historicism, Feminist Criticism and Deconstruction in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter3014 Words   |  13 PagesPerspectives on New Historicism, Feminist Criticism and Deconstruction in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Introduction Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter has been a highly debatable topic of numerous critical essays, written by scholars who approach the novel from various perspectives of literary criticism. Due to the diversity of perspectives, the questions proposed by these scholars vary and hence the conclusions they arrive at by examining the same literary text mayRead MoreHester Pyrnne As An Early Feminist Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlet Letter1890 Words   |  8 PagesTOPIC: Hester Pyrnne as an Early Feminist of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†. Most people identify Feminism as an anti-male movement hell-bent on making women the dominant gender, but this is not the case. In this novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne executes these ideas by overcoming her public humiliation and rising up against the predetermined ideas that her Puritan town holds for her. She is a perfect example of what a feminist should be, which is a real treat considering the time