Feminist Criticism The Scarlet Letter - 1324 Words

Andrea Rhoden English IV Almack 1st six weeks The Scarlet Letter:Feminism Feminist criticism is a form of literary criticism that uncovers the common mistreatment of women in literature. For centuries, women have been viewed as the minorities, unable to control and protect themselves. In history, women have had little to no voice in the world, what little bit of a voice they have is only obtained through marriage. Men are so dominant that they are able to get away with crimes far easier than women, when a crime is committed it is far more shocking for it to come from a women rather than a man. The Scarlet Letter depicts the concept of feminism perfectly from the very beginning, Women are a tool used to reproduce and men are the main concern to do everything else including make decisions. As far back as the history books go we have accounts where men were the rulers and women were seen as unimportant or even as a blemish on the face of the society. This sadly is demonstrated using Hester Prynne. Majority of the time the women are looked down upon for things that men do as well, for some reason it is viewed that it is worse for a women to perform these acts than it is a man. Hester is found guilty of adultery because she is found to be with child while her husband is away. Hester has vowed to keep the name of her fellow sinner a secret which we later find out is because he is a higher member of society. Because he has power in the community, Hester does not wish to ruin hisShow MoreRelated New Historicism, Feminist Criticism and Deconstruction in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter3014 Words   |  13 PagesPerspectives on New Historicism, Feminist Criticism and Deconstruction in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Introduction Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter has been a highly debatable topic of numerous critical essays, written by scholars who approach the novel from various perspectives of literary criticism. Due to the diversity of perspectives, the questions proposed by these scholars vary and hence the conclusions they arrive at by examining the same literary text mayRead MoreAntifeminist and Feminism within The Scarlet Letter1388 Words   |  6 PagesAntifeminist and Feminism within The Scarlet Letter In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Scarlet Letter† Hester Prynne is accused and convicted of adultery. During the puritan era women in this society had specific obligations and rights they had to maintain. By Hester having an affair and acting unladylike the community disapproved of her actions causing everyone to isolate her in her town. Due to Hester Prynne’s Isolation and the harsh judgment she received from everyone in her town, she goes throughRead MoreHow Is Hester Prynne A Feminist Novel989 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican Literature’s first feminist character A trend was started by the novel, The Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorne took a path with the character Hester Prynne that took many by surprise. Hester Prynne from the acclaimed novel, The Scarlet Letter, is one of American Literature’s first and influential feminist characters that shows superiority while being fearless and having an influence on modern literature and culture. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne is accused of adulteryRead MoreAre Women Destructive Forces?1674 Words   |  7 Pagesadversities in life had given her, but through the degree of her refusal to permit those adversities to direct her and decide who she ends up to be. Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter in the early 1800’s about a disgraced woman who emerged from the shadows to alter the precise definition of the disgraceful letter â€Å"A† on her chest. Later, John Steinbeck composed Of Mice and Men in the 1930’s that depicted Curleys spouse as determined but also immensely egotistic, ultimately prompting hisRead MoreHester Prynnes Development Of Women In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1204 Words   |  5 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne’s,The Scarlet Letter, conveys Hester Prynne’s struggles against the oppressive Puritan society of the 1630s, which leads to the illumination of her progressive feminist views. Hester’s sin of adultery leaves her shunned from her pious New England community, but the extreme consequences that she encounters highlight the notion that she recognizes women as possessing equal capabilities and strengths as men. Hester evinces feminism throughout Hawthorne’s novel, without ever trulyRead More The Scarlet Letter: The Book vs. the Movie Essay1442 Words   |  6 PagesThe Scarlet Letter:   The Book vs. the Movie  Ã‚  Ã‚   Demi Moores portrayal of Hester in the movie The Scarlet Letter proved her worth as a feminist actress, which led her to other, more modern female empowerment roles ranging from Striptease to GI Jane.   But in the moviemakers attempt to give the story what they might think is a little modern flavor, they barbarously misconstrued the theme, and thus the importance, of a timeless story.   In the novel, there can be little doubt that Hester is aRead MoreIs the Scarlet Letter a Proto Feminist Novel1510 Words   |  7 Pages21, 2012 Is The Scarlet Letter a Proto Feminist Novel? â€Å"Is The Scarlet Letter a Proto Feminist Novel?† The Scarlet Letter is a very well-known novel, between the scandals and lies. It starts off with a woman named Hester Prynne. Hester decides to leave her husband behind to migrate to Boston. A couple years later, Hester gives birth to a baby girl named Pearl in prison. Hester refused to reveal the father of Pearl. The town then forces Hester to wear a scarlet letter A upon her dressRead MoreHester Pyrnne As An Early Feminist Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlet Letter1890 Words   |  8 PagesTOPIC: Hester Pyrnne as an Early Feminist of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†. Most people identify Feminism as an anti-male movement hell-bent on making women the dominant gender, but this is not the case. In this novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne executes these ideas by overcoming her public humiliation and rising up against the predetermined ideas that her Puritan town holds for her. She is a perfect example of what a feminist should be, which is a real treat considering the timeRead MoreFeminism in The Scarlett Letter Essay601 Words   |  3 PagesFeminists are independent individuals that stand against the given norms of society. Throughout history, there are many examples of these strong individuals that help innovate society forward. Because Puritan society greatly suppressed many women, feminism is quite impossible at that time. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hawthorne explores the life of Hester Prynne, a young puritan woman involved in an affair. Throughout the book, Hester Prynne expresses her potential to become an earlyRead M oreThe Scarlet Letter : The Objectification, Ostracization, And Targeting Of Women Essay1523 Words   |  7 Pages The Scarlet Letter: The Objectification, Ostracization, and Targeting of Women. Kevin Sachtleben Harris- Period 3 â€Å"From the intense consciousness of being the object of severe and universal observation, the wearer of the scarlet letter was at length relieved, by discerning on the outskirts of the crowd a figure which irresistibly took possession of her thoughts.†(Hawthorne, 52). This quote from the top of page fifty two surrounds the most controversial event in the book from when Hester was