64882
Dawson
AP English Language and Composition/ A4
8 October, 2014
Compassion to Hester
In the novel , The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne shows a sympathetic attitude towards Hester in chapter two. He develops the view by using rhetorical language.
First, Hawthorne shows irony to develop his attitude. Hawthorne teaches that a Papist saying “he might have seen in this beautiful woman, so picturesque in her attire and mien, and with the infant at her bosom, an object to remind him of the image of Divine Maternity”
(Hawthorne, 53). Hawthorne compares Hester and the Virgin Mary when Hester is on the scaffold but it is ironic because the Virgin Mary is a good person without any sins. Additionally, the virgin is represent as In contrast, Hester is a sinner who cheats on her husband and therefore, a baby is born from her sins. This quote tells the readers how her beauty is so amazing that can be it compare to a goddess. Because of her personality, no one would expect and galvanize of how she would become a sinner.
Additionally, Hawthorne demonstrate how feels sad about Hester being humiliate, from the other people in the town when he inform what her life is going change. The Papist in the crowd examines “the world was only the darker for this woman's beauty, and the more lost for the infant that she had borne (Hawthorne, 53).” The writer is trying to justify that she is to rest of the world is to be consider as trash which means useless and will take her beauty away from other men talking to her. Also, one symbol is her daughter will constantly be a reminder to others
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and herself of her sin. Hawthorne feels bad which basically mean she will not find love again from a man. The sadness of thought of no love is hard to explain but, it is like a