FREE ESSAY ON SCARLET LETTER

SCARLET LETTER

In the novel The Scarlet Letter, the scarlet letter "A" has several meanings throughout
the novel. For each character the scarlet letter stands for something different. Each of
the main characters interprets the letter in different forms. The townspeople observe the
letter as a form of shame and embarrassment. For Hester the letter takes on several
different forms. Arthur Dimmesdale, the Reverend, sees the letter on Hester's breast as a
constant torture of his sin and secrete. He goes through terrible ordeals throughout the
novel. For Roger Chillingworth (Hester's husband), the letter stands for power. 
The Townspeople see the scarlet letter "A" as a form of embarrassment for Hester and a
way of keeping order and peace within the colony. The story begins with Hester having to
go on the scaffold and stand there for three hours with her two shameful sins, the letter
A (which stands for Adulteress) and her illegitimate child. The magistrates feel as
though constant public embarrassment will disclose the secret of the child's father. On
the scaffold Hester experiences harsh words. A group of women are having a discussion in
the crowd and one-woman states, "At the very least, they should have put the brand of a
hot iron on Hester Prynne's forehead. She may cover it with a brooch, or such like
heathenish adornment, and so walk the streets as brave as ever" (1332). This statement
shows that it was not enough that the townspeople knew she committed a sin, but they
wanted to see the sin on her chest constantly. This letter somehow gave them power over
Hester and made them feel more superior. Without them seeing the letter they felt that
her sin was not being seen. Even after Hester moves away from the town, into the forest,
children go there to get a glimpse of her; this continues the embarrassment for Hester.
Also, the ministers of the town use Hester's sin in their sermons. Another way in which
the town punishes Hester and tries to have some type of power over her is when they try
to take her child. As the novel progresses and Hester becomes a helpful person in the
community, people begin to accept her in society again but the scarlet letter is never
overseen.
The Scarlet letter means something entirely different to Hester. At first the letter
means the same for Hester as it does for the townspeople, shame. However, as the novel
progresses, the letter changes in significance. The letter on Hester's breast begins to
break her down. She loses her femininity due to the letter. The letter is a constant
reminder of what she has done. One women states in the beginning of the novel, "let her
cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will be always in her heart" (1333). This
explains that no matter what Hester does the pain that she will endure will always be
with her. As the illegitimate child Pearl gets older, Hester becomes worried because the
child has a funny way about her. Hester explains how Pearl has a "fiend" way about her.
She believes this is because of how Pearl was conceived, through the Scarlet letter.
Although Pearl is her great gift, she is also a reminder of her sin, the adultery. Pearl
is also a constant reminder because Hester lives through Pearl. Hester does not wear
bright clothing but dresses Pearl in bright ravishing dresses. Also, the children of the
town treat Pearl the same way the adults treat Hester. Hester believes that Pearl has a
cleansed soul. Hawthorne also shows that Hester is a tortured soul because he explains
how the sun does not touch Hester. Pearl makes the comment, "the sunshine does not love
you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom"
(1404-1405). After Hester meets Dimmesdale in the forest and reveals Chillingworth's true
identity as her husband, they become close and both Hester and Dimmesdale feel some type
of relief. Hester even removes the Scarlet letter, her femininity flows back into her,
and the sunlight touches her once again. At the end of the story the Scarlet Letter takes
on a different significance for Hester. It is a symbol of her courage and for everything
that she has been through. It also symbolizes her love for Arthur Dimmesdale. 
Arthur Dimmesdal is another character that the Scarlet letter affects tremendously.
Dimmesdal is tortured by his silence. He becomes very ill, malnourished, and he
constantly puts his hand over his heart. He no longer believes that he is worthy of being
saved. He states, "I could be will content, that my labors, and my sorrows, and my sins,
and my pains, should shortly end with me, and what is earthly of them be buried in my
grave, and the spiritual go with me to my eternal state, rather than that you should put
your skill to the proof in my behalf" (1371). He is so tortured by not being able to
confess his secrete that he would fast for several days, pray for several hours, whip
himself, and even carve an "A" on his chest. Finally he gets some relief when Hester
agrees to live at the Colony with him. He comes back to life but it is short lived. The
torture finally gets to him and the secret he held eventually killed him. However, at the
end he finally is able to find the strength to confess. 
The Scarlet Letter also affected Roger Chillingworth. He is seen as the villain in the
novel. Throughout the novel his main drive is revenge against Dimmesdale and Hester. He
explains to Hester why he will not kill her, "Even if I imagine a scheme of vengeance,
what could I do better for my object than to let thee live...Live, therefore, and bear
about thy doom with thee, in the eyes of men and women, -in the eyes of him whom thou
didst call thy husband, -in the eyes of yonder child! And, that thou mayest live, take
off this draught" (1345). He basically is set out to destroy Dimmesdale and Hester by
torture. He later befriends Dimmesdale and slowly breaks him down. After Dimmesdale
confesses, Chillingworth no longer feels there is a reason to live. He dies within a year
after Dimmesdale dies. This shows that the only thing Chillingworth had in him was evil
and since that had nothing else to feed on, he died. 
Overall, the Letter "A" meant several different things to several different people. Each
character had a different role, therefore the letter was supposed to take on different
meanings. The Scarlet Letter always meant adulteress but in the end on the gravestone of
Dimmesdale and Hester it meant forgiveness, love, and togetherness.