Hester Prynne
Fictional Character
Date Of Birth:
1850
Best Known As:
Adulterous heroine of The Scarlet Letter
Hester Prynne is the main character of Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter. Set in Massachusetts colony in Puritan times, the story tells of Hester's scandalous affair with the minister Arthur Dimmesdale, which results in the birth of Hester's daughter Pearl. Hester protects Dimmesdale by concealing his identity from the community, but is forced to wear on her clothing the letter 'A' for adultery -- the 'scarlet letter' of the story's title. Always a sympathetic character, Hester is also now seen by some as an early example of feminine strength and moxie in American literature.
Extra Credit:
Actresses who have played Hester in film versions of The Scarlet Letter include Lillian Gish (in 1926) and Demi Moore (in 1995).
3 Good Links
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No-frills text of the entire novel, courtesy of the University of Virginia
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Extensive academic shorthand for the book, with good notes on Hester
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Whew! Deep-thinking essay on Hawthorne's treatment of Hester and other women characters
See also:
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