Symbolism of The Scarlet Letter “A” “On a field, sable, the letter A, gules” (Hawthorne 259). The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a story of a woman named Hester Prynne who overcomes the pestering punishment of wearing the scarlet “A”. This letter is given to her by the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester changes the symbolic meaning of the letter “A” from her sin of “adultery,” to being an “able” woman, to gracious, ultimately defining her own identity.
The letter “A” is first intended to showcase Hester’s sin of adultery. Because of this letter, she now has a label on her that specifies her sinful act for all to see. To the public, this letter stands for the town’s punishment forced upon her, but from the beginning Hester is determined to control her own punishment. While in jail, she embroiders an “A” on her dress. Upon first glance, the townspeople are astonished to see the beauty of it. Hawthorne had this to say about the elegance of the embroidered “A”: “On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter “A” (Hawthorne 50). The letter shows her artistic ability, eventually allowing her to build a living for herself by doing embroidery for others. As Hester Prynne constructs her new life, her hard work and charity begin to modify the meaning of the letter. …show more content…
All the time and service she gives end up gaining respect from some of the Puritans who once looked down on her. Hawthorne writes, “Such helpfulness was found in her – so much power to do and power to sympathize – that many people refused to interpret the scarlet “A” by its original signification. They said it meant “Able”; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength” (Hawthorne 158). The townspeople ignore, or chose to ignore, the original meaning of the letter saying that it instead means “able,” because she is such an “able” woman. Not everyone feels this way though. Arthur Dimmesdale, the other component of this crime and a minister for the town, feels the pressure of his sin when he sees the “A.” Referring to Dimmesdale and where he stands in the situation, Hawthorne says, “And thus, while standing there on the scaffold, in this vain show of expiation, Mr. Dimmesdale was overcome with a great horror of mind, as if the universe were gazing at a scarlet token on his naked breast, right over his heart” (Hawthorne 144). Dimmesdale is overwhelmed by his guilt when standing where Hester stood earlier to be judged by the public. He feels as if the entire universe can see some sort of letter “A” on him as well. Hester’s scarlet “A,” however, still continues to change. After a time, the letter gains a sense of holiness. Hawthorne acknowledged, “…the scarlet letter had the effect of the cross on a nun’s bosom. It imparted to the wearer a kind of sacredness which enabled her to walk securely amid all peril” (Hawthorne 159). Many believe the letter would keep her safe through all danger. There is even rumor of an Indian shooting an arrow at her and it fell harmlessly to the ground. One night when Hester is met by Arthur Dimmesdale at the scaffold, they see a meteor in the sky that is in the shape of the letter “A”. The townspeople all assume it is a symbol that the recently deceased Governor Winthrop must now be an “angel.” This could have been some foreshadowing to the meaning of Hester’s “A” symbolizing the term “angel” rather than her being “able.” Many years later, after Hester leaves town and comes back, she voluntarily takes up the letter, because her daughter Pearl only knows her with it on. Now the letter has become a symbol of grace for Prynne and for others. The symbolism of the scarlet letter “A” changes throughout the whole novel, however the person who is changing the meaning differs. Hester decides to continue wearing the letter because she is determined to alter its meaning through her actions. Even when society changes it for her from the negative symbol of sin to a positive symbol of being an “able” woman, she still does not acknowledge their interpretation of the letter. She wants
The letter “A” is first intended to showcase Hester’s sin of adultery. Because of this letter, she now has a label on her that specifies her sinful act for all to see. To the public, this letter stands for the town’s punishment forced upon her, but from the beginning Hester is determined to control her own punishment. While in jail, she embroiders an “A” on her dress. Upon first glance, the townspeople are astonished to see the beauty of it. Hawthorne had this to say about the elegance of the embroidered “A”: “On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter “A” (Hawthorne 50). The letter shows her artistic ability, eventually allowing her to build a living for herself by doing embroidery for others. As Hester Prynne constructs her new life, her hard work and charity begin to modify the meaning of the letter. …show more content…
All the time and service she gives end up gaining respect from some of the Puritans who once looked down on her. Hawthorne writes, “Such helpfulness was found in her – so much power to do and power to sympathize – that many people refused to interpret the scarlet “A” by its original signification. They said it meant “Able”; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength” (Hawthorne 158). The townspeople ignore, or chose to ignore, the original meaning of the letter saying that it instead means “able,” because she is such an “able” woman. Not everyone feels this way though. Arthur Dimmesdale, the other component of this crime and a minister for the town, feels the pressure of his sin when he sees the “A.” Referring to Dimmesdale and where he stands in the situation, Hawthorne says, “And thus, while standing there on the scaffold, in this vain show of expiation, Mr. Dimmesdale was overcome with a great horror of mind, as if the universe were gazing at a scarlet token on his naked breast, right over his heart” (Hawthorne 144). Dimmesdale is overwhelmed by his guilt when standing where Hester stood earlier to be judged by the public. He feels as if the entire universe can see some sort of letter “A” on him as well. Hester’s scarlet “A,” however, still continues to change. After a time, the letter gains a sense of holiness. Hawthorne acknowledged, “…the scarlet letter had the effect of the cross on a nun’s bosom. It imparted to the wearer a kind of sacredness which enabled her to walk securely amid all peril” (Hawthorne 159). Many believe the letter would keep her safe through all danger. There is even rumor of an Indian shooting an arrow at her and it fell harmlessly to the ground. One night when Hester is met by Arthur Dimmesdale at the scaffold, they see a meteor in the sky that is in the shape of the letter “A”. The townspeople all assume it is a symbol that the recently deceased Governor Winthrop must now be an “angel.” This could have been some foreshadowing to the meaning of Hester’s “A” symbolizing the term “angel” rather than her being “able.” Many years later, after Hester leaves town and comes back, she voluntarily takes up the letter, because her daughter Pearl only knows her with it on. Now the letter has become a symbol of grace for Prynne and for others. The symbolism of the scarlet letter “A” changes throughout the whole novel, however the person who is changing the meaning differs. Hester decides to continue wearing the letter because she is determined to alter its meaning through her actions. Even when society changes it for her from the negative symbol of sin to a positive symbol of being an “able” woman, she still does not acknowledge their interpretation of the letter. She wants