The Scarlet Letter | Characters
At the center of Hawthorne's story is the figure of the adulteress Hester Prynne. A young woman sent alone to America by a husband much older than herself and not able to respond to her emotional needs, she is made the object of public scorn when she becomes pregnant, has a child, and refuses to name the father. Hawthorne presents her as a strong figure who is able to tolerate the prejudices of her fellow townspeople, turning her symbol of shame into a badge of honor. Unlike her secret lover, the minister Roger Dimmesdale, she is willing to admit to her actions, acknowledging that her...
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How did people of Nathaniel Hawthorne's time feel about guilt, sin,...
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That Pearl is more symbol than human is apparent from Chapter IV on. ...
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