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Question 5. Some critics say that Hester Prynne was the first American heroine. Others, however, say that her somewhat silent suffering isn't truly heroic. What qualities and actions make a character
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Question 5: Some critics say that Hester Prynne was the first American Heroine. Others, however, say that her somewhat silent suffering isn't truly heroic. What qualities and actions make a character heroic? Are there any heroes or heroic action in The Scarlet Letter?
Created by Chloe Zeller, Sophia McClard, Mitch Bartell, and Jo Robinson
What is Heroism?
What is a Hero?
What is a hero?
her·o·ism
great bravery.
synonyms: bravery, courage, valor, intrepidity, boldness, daring, audacity, fearlessness, dauntlessness, pluck, stout-heartedness, lionheartedness;
Heroes perform tasks that require great bravery or mental/emotional strength.
Who would you consider a hero in The Scarlet Letter?
No characters in The Scarlet Letter are true heroes, as they all possess their own flaws and shortcomings. Each character has at least one cowardly moment. While there are no true heroes in The Scarlet Letter, some characters display actions of heroism. Hester and Pearl show the most notable signs of heroism, as opposed to Chillingworth and Dimmesdale.
Pearl Overview
-Pearl had a noble purpose that she is attempting to bring Hester and Dimmesdale back together and free Dimmesdale form his tortuous guilt.
"Thou must know Pearl!... Our Little Pearl! Thou hasnt see her,-yes, I know it!- but thou wilt see her now with other eyes.... But thou wilt lover her dearly, as I do, and wilt advise me how to deal with her."(183)
Pearl
-Pearl is Hester's one true happiness in life and keeps her going after all she has suffered through.
"God gave me the child!...He gave her in requital of all things else, which he had take from me. She is my happiness!...Pearl keeps me here in life!"(103)
Pearl Continued
-Pearl keeps Hester from signing the black mans book
“Make my excuse to him, so please you!” answered Hester, with a triumphant smile. “I must tarry at home, and keep watch over my little Pearl. Had they taken her from me, I would willingly have gone with thee into the forest, and signed my name in the Black Man’s book too, and that with mine own blood!”
Hester Heroism
“Here had been her sin; here, her sorrow; and here was yet to be her penitence. She had returned, therefore, and resumed of her own free will, for not the sternest magistrate of that iron period would have imposed it—resumed the symbol of which we have related so dark a tale” (Hawthorne 146).
Hester
-Hester had enough courage to face her punishment to the fullest extent.
"In a moment, however, wisely judging that one token of shame would but poorly serve to hide another, she took the baby on her arm, and without a burning blush, and yet a haughty smile, and a glance that would not be abashed, looked around at her townspeople and neighbours" (Hawthorne 31).
Hester Continued
"'Had they taken her from me, I would willingly
have gone with thee into the forest,
and signed my name in the Black
Man’s book too, and that with mine own
blood!’" (Hawthorne 66).
Cont.
"If death be in this cup, I bid thee think again, ere thou beholdest me quaff it. See! It is even now at my lips"(30).
Hester is brave in the fact that she does not fear death
In closing...
While there are no true heroes in The Scarlet Letter, many characters show signs of heroism. Hester, with her continued bravery under the rule of the scarlet A, and Pearl, with her involuntary support of Dimmesdale and Hester's bond.