Реферат: The Scarlet Letter The Symbol Of The

Puritan Mistress Prynne, instead of Hester, the woman of the scarlet letter.

Though she may deem the letter a “misery”, it had made her the woman she is, and

she would not be herself without the scarlet symbol.

Indeed, though originally meant as her punishment, the scarlet letter

actually liberates Hester from her guilt, and from even greater punishment. The

scorn she feels towards it, and the lengths she goes through to rid herself of

it show that she does not realize the good that the letter has done her. It may

have punished her, it may have caused her pain, yet the good deep within the

letter is greater than the evil that surrounds it on the outside. The scarlet

letter can thus also be viewed as an instrument of God, rather than an

instrument of Satan; sent to teach a lesson, rather than to punish; a holy brand,

rather than a mark of shame and ignominy. It was given to Hester as a means of

atoning her sin and achieving salvation, and as the scarlet letter “A” rests on

her sin-stained heart, it mends instead of causing more damage. Its scarlet

fire thus exorcises Hester Prynne’s personal demons, so that in the Afterlife

she can finally attain her peace.