Endure the Shame

[dacui38]

Hester Prynne is an interesting person. We have discussed in class that she is well aware of the fact that she's a sinner in regards to the Puritan society. However, she embraces that sin and bears the shame and suffering of this wrathful society as seen in the following instances:

When confronted with Wilson and Dimmesdale to name the father of her child, she refused despite the risk of damnation, stating that she would endure all the shame for the father of her child. This is seen again when Mr. Prynne asks Hester the name.

Hester must wear the Scarlet Letter each and everyday, a symbol of her shame, yet she wears it proudly.

Hester does not go back to her native land, despite being ostracized by the Puritans. She chooses to live with this shame.

What are some more examples of how Hester willingly endures the shame brought upon her sin?

What does this say about Hester's character?

Is living in shame better for Hester instead of dying or running away?

Finally, how does this trait shape your view of Hester?

[chfisch35]

Hawthorne gives Hester desirable, and humanly charcteristics like dignity, and flaws. She is more relatable as a human because she made an error, and she accepts it. But her reason for not leaving was to "purge her soul, and work out another purity than that which she had lost"(Hawthorne 77). Hester wants to help cleanse her soul, which can be viewed as very human. Hester has the pride that a reader admires. Hawthorne intended for readers to sympathize, relate, and admire Hester Prynne.

[bezhang38]

In terms of living in the shame instead of dying/running away, Hester chooses to stay in the Puritan society instead of running off to England. Even though running away would cover up her act of sin, Hester does not want to "hide her character and identity under a new exterior" (76); her sin has defined her identity and Hester does not want to lose her unique identity.

[dacui38]

I believe that Hester's decision to endure her shame is due to her need for redemption. As mentioned above, although Hester acknowledges that she has sinned, she still does not flee to England. Her decision to endure his shame therefore makes a similar to a martyr and in countless occasions Hawthorne describes her as an angel, "The torture of her daily shame would at length purge her soul, and work out another purity than that which she had lost, more saint-like, because the result of martyrdom" (77). However, this makes me wonder whether or not she would have been better suited in an environment like England, where redemption is encouraged. Catholics have to recognize sin and pray, are forgiveness for sin is possible, but in Puritan society this is much harder. The Puritans envision themselves as pure and any sin is extremely deadly, it makes one impure.

[dacui38]

In addition to Hester, it seems that Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is bearing some guilt and enduring his shame similar to Hestesr. After reading 3 Chapters about Dimmesdales, it is reasonable to assume that Dimmesdale is the co-adulterer of Hester Prynne and the father of Pearl.

However, Dimmesdale has a different approach to bearing his shame. He doesn't come out to the public and admit that he is the father of Pearl, letting Hester bear some burden of his sin and take care of Pearl herself.

In spite of this, he still believes that he is doing the right thing. He believes that by helping others, he can redeem himself and to achieve that goal he doesn't admit to his sin or he would lose his position as Reverend. He also whips and starves himself for penance.

How does Dimmesdale's and Hester's different way of enduring the shame for the same sin tell about the characters of the two and shape your perspectives of them? Is Dimmesdale right? Or is he selfish in abandoning Hester?