Abstract
The extent to which the four main characters of The Scarlet Letter are capable of enduring hardships in the face of the rigid structure of the Puritan society is studied in this research paper. Endurance being a far-fetched meaning of sustainability; if said differently, this paper is a study of their sustainability. These characters are namely, Hester Prynne, her legal husband Roger Chillingworth, the pastor Arthur Dimmesdale, all of them caught up in a love triangle and Pearl, Hester Prynne’s daughter, born out of wedlock. Using a qualitative research approach, a narrative analysis is conducted where initially the reader is given an insight into the story line of The Scarlet Letter. Ensuing, is a brief description of the Puritan period and its society, the significance of symbolism in the novel, and an examination of the transformation of the four characters throughout the duration of the novel. Hester Prynne, the bearer of the scarlet letter, faces extremely challenging times due to her behavior. A detailed observation of how she gradually and positively integrates into this environment of an unforgiving Bostonian Puritanical society through her fortitude to face up to it, is done in this paper. Finally, the power of endurance of the characters being evaluated, Hester Prynne turns out to be the victor. Thereby, proving that despite great adversity, a female is yet able to endure hardships and show her tenacity in male dominated societies.
Highlights
It is said that Mrs Hawthorne was visibly disturbed after her husband Nathaniel Hawthorne, read his work The Scarlet Letter to her
The purpose of this paper is to examine the stoicism of Hester Prynne, against that of the other male characters all of them caught up in various ways in a scandal of sexual misbehavior committed in the Puritan ruled town they lived in
When doing research concerning the suitability and uniqueness of the topic of this paper, it was found that though many research papers have used various aspects of the novel, to name a few; love, adultery, Puritan society and its culture, symbolism etc. a paper discussing the strength and the level of endurance of Hester Prynne and the manner in which she managed to survive in the callous Bostonian Puritanical society was yet to be published
Summary
It is said that Mrs Hawthorne was visibly disturbed after her husband Nathaniel Hawthorne, read his work The Scarlet Letter to her. Hawthorne says that ‘it broke her heart and sent her to bed with a grievous headache – which I look upon as a triumphant success’ His wife’s reaction indicates that his work was a success because he was able to portray the immense suffering of the character Hester. William Heath declares that Hawthorne himself admits that the novel is “a tale of human frailty and sorrow.”. Of “William, notorious for his persecution of the Quakers, and son John Hathorne, a prominent figure in the late seventeenth-century witch hunts.”. It is said that the author changed the spelling of his name from Hathorne to Hawthorne to avoid Of “William, notorious for his persecution of the Quakers, and son John Hathorne, a prominent figure in the late seventeenth-century witch hunts.” It is said that the author changed the spelling of his name from Hathorne to Hawthorne to avoid
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