Hester Prynne In Scarlet Letter

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Hester Prynne, the main character in the novel, is an example of a romantic associated with imagination. When Hester is first introduced in the novel she shows these romantic characteristics, she “was tall, with a figure of perfect elegance…her beauty shone out.” People expected Hester to look awful and sad as she exits the prison, but she looks the opposite. Continuously, during Hester’s public humiliation, she would be expected to become frustrated or make a commotion during her public humiliation, but she stays calm and “her mind..[stays] preternaturally active, and kept bringing up other scenes.” The idea that she uses her imagination leads readers to the conclusion that Hester is romantic. Hester is a confident, free-willed and imaginative, …show more content…
Through the novel, there are two sides to this character. The reverend is described as, "a person of very striking aspect, with a white, lofty, and impending brow, large, brown, melancholy eyes, and a mouth which, unless when he forcibly compressed it, was apt to be tremulous, expressing both nervous sensibility and a vast power of self restraint." Dimmesdale’s physical appearance would be considered traits of a romantic. But, he compresses his mouth, and could have an expression of self restrains, which would not be romantic characteristics. These mixed explanations of Arthur leave readers with a confused sense of his personality. Continually, later in the story, Dimmesdale himself struggles with his emotions. He does not want to be with Hester, but he can not prevent his feelings, so he punishes himself for it. Dimmesdale wants to be a man of reason and thought, he tries hard to suppress his feelings and even punishes himself. In the novel, there is a scene where we see Dimmesdale truly happy; when he decides to run away with his love, Hester. His eyes are described as, “ a fitful light kindled by [Hesters] enthusiasm, flashed up and died away.” He desires nothing more then to run away with Hester, but his defending health, due to his own guilt, prevents him from doing so. If, perhaps, Dimmesdale would have accepted his feelings, he could be in better health and truly happy. Eventually, he lets his guilt get the better of him and he dies. Hawthorne, through Arthur Dimmesdale, is telling readers that if you don’t allow yourself to accept and engage in your true feelings, you will never be truly
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