The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the heroine is admired because of her
strong will, and disregard for other's views of her. Hester Pryne displays her
best qualities when she stands up to Governor Bellingham and his gang, when they
confront her about her daughter Pearl. Hester is a woman that is well ahead of
her time, she is vocal, proud, head-strong, and confident, in an age where women
were to be seen and not heard. She was deeply admired by all the townspeople,
despite her adulterous past, and public shame of wearing a scarlet "A"
upon her breast. Hester is a victim of a crime which was severely punished
despite the fact that she could only be accountable for half of the incident.
She was forced into the marriage of a man she did not love, and after being separated
for a long amount of time, she became attracted to another man. Hester is much
stronger then her partner in adultery, Dimmesdale, who bottles up his guilt
inside, and eventually dies due to the suffering he endures, at keeping the
event a secret. Hester endures her punishment without a word against it, and
grows from it, making her stronger and a woman to be admired from her puritan
counterparts, and women today.