The definition of a feminist is female person or character that advocates for the rights of woman to be equal of that of both sexes. Hester in “The Scarlet Letter” is one of the strongest characters in the book and or literature at the time. Having a strong character doesn’t really just mean that she is a feminist. The author depicts many strong and enigmas within the story. Some, such as Chillingworth a male character, seems to be stronger than others but like Dimmesdale who is also a male character and stands among the rest. The main protagonist, Hester Prynne, is a very tough female character.
The beginning of her strength accelerates as she was forced into isolation after her sin was put out for the public. Society attempts to imprison her, but she does not let it happen. With her skill of knitting she embroidered a red letter “A” meaning Adultery was the sin Hester committed. Society shunned her and stoned her, trying to take away her daughter “Pearl” whom was the final product of the sin but Hester fought to keep Pearl and maintain her to be as pure and innocent as she could be. Society then accepted that Hester did indeed sin but that she is a strong and brave woman so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength.” (46). Back in the puritan ages gender roles were deeply set apart in Puritan society, and women were branded as “inferior beings that needed to be dominated by a male figure.” (The Puritans (Gettysburg.edu)).
As well as Dimmesdale committed the same sin as Hester, but he is scared to show the public because he doesn’t know what they’d do to him. But he was weakened by the sin and the guilt of hiding the sin from himself metaphorically “ate him alive”. This adds detail that Hester is a strong character because no matter what was thrown at her she always kept a smile on her face and showed the world that they couldn’t break her and that she’d overcome any challenges that she and Pearl might face.
In conclusion, Hester is not considered a feminist due to the fact that she doesn’t choose her actions to
