A Beautiful Sin

A Beautiful Sin

The Puritan society molded itself and created a government based upon the Bible and implemented it with force. The crime of adultery committed by Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter, produced rage, and was suitable for serious punishment according to Puritan beliefs. In due course the town of Boston became intensely involved with Hester's life and her crime of adultery, and saw to it that she be publicly punished and tortured. Based upon the religious, governmental, and social design of the Puritan society, Hester's complete existence revolved around her sin and the Puritan discernment. Therefore it is apparent within The Scarlet Letter that the Puritan community to some degree has constructed Hester's character. Throughout The Scarlet Letter Hester is the character that is altered. Hester alters three different times, from being a shamed woman to a capable women and then to a healer.

Hester Prynne emerges from the prison, proud and beautiful wearing an exceedingly embroidered scarlet letter 'A' on her chest and carrying a three month old baby. While she is standing on the scaffold she becomes aware of the harsh faces looking up at her. Hester awkwardly realizes her present position of shame and punishment. Society will not forgive her for the adultery that she has committed because of the Puritan age in which they live. The majority of the old women feel she should have a worse punishment. One of them even says "At the very least, they should have put the brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne's forehead" (50). At this point in time,

society is unwilling to forgive Hester and she's not willing to forgive herself either. Going through all this shame and embarrassment, the feelings of anguish and ridicule begins to change Hester, although she does not notice it till later, she is becoming a better person from all that is happening to her.

Not only does Hester alter mentally, but she also alters physically. The warmth, charm and passion which she once possessed appears to have been interchanged by coldness, cruelty, and monotony. She hides her beautiful hair under a cap and has no more enthusiasm. Hester only displays warmth and charm around Pearl. Society also begins to view her differently as well. Some people even feel as though she can see "right through them" and know their sins. They do not look at her as badly as they did at first, because she is changing. "The letter was the symbol of her calling. Such kindness was found in her-so much power to do and power to sympathize-that many people refused to interpret the scarlet "A"; by its original signification. They said that it meant "Able"; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength." (139). She is now beginning

to go through some of the most widespread alterations of her life. She is filled with many different