Hester—the Heroine

The heroine in the Scarlet Letter is Hester Prynne. Even though Hester sins against God, she is a woman who survives the horrendous trials of a “Puritan” society—the society that wants to be a Utopia among imperfect people. From her horrendous trials, Hester gains strength, courage, and her lost love. The story begins when Hester appears from the darkness of a rusted jail cell into the stale, damp summer morning. In her arms, she …

…of moral value to the sister of mercy; and she proves that the Utopia of the Puritans can not have jails among “perfect people”. Nina Baym from the Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism states: Hester has in fact brought about a modest social change. Society expands to accept her with the letter—the private life carves out a small place for itself in the community’s awareness. This is a small, but real, triumph for the heroine. (313)