Liberation from Sin through Pearl in The Scarlet Letter Essay -- Scarl

Liberation from Sin through osseous tissue in The Scarlet Letter This child ... hath come from the hand of God, to exercise in many ways upon her heart ... It was meant for a blessing, for the one blessing of her life It was meant, doubtless ... for a retribution too a torture to be felt at many an unthought-of moment a pang, as sting, an ever-recurring agony, in the midst of a troubled joy (Hawthorne 105) This, as Arthur Dimmesdale almost prophetically expresses in the early scenes of Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter, was the role of astragal, the elfish child borne of his and Hester Prynnes guilty passion. Like Pauls thorn in the flesh, fall would bring trouble, heartache, and frustration to Hester, but function a constructive purpose lying far beyond the daily provocations of her childish impishness. While in many respects a tormentor to Hester, Pearl was in like manner her savior, while a reminder of her guilt, a promoter of honesty and true Virtue and while an embodiment of Hesters worst qualities, a vision of a fall apart life for Hester and for herself. From the very beginning of The Scarlet Letter, while Hester is shamed by having a baby as tangible evidence of her sin and shame, the obligation of affectionateness for Pearl and raising her with love and wisdom serves to calm the defiant, destructive passion of Hesters nature and to save her from its wild, desperate promptings. This sentiment is poignantly portrayed in Hesters shoot the breeze to the Governors mansion. While there, she pleads with the Governor, magistrates, and ministers that she be allowed to keep Pearl, exclaiming, She is my happiness--She is my torture, none the less Pearl keeps me here in life Pearl punishes me too See ye not, she is the crimson letter, only... ...er to worst the passion, once so wild that had brought her to ruin and shame. (Hawthorne, 165) It was Hesters motherly sentiments to nurture and love her child that saved her from temptation and from death an d opened her heart to the measly and free around her. It was the torturous fixation of her child upon her shame that tempered and refined her character and led her toward the precious virtue of being true to herself and others. And it was the verbalism of her throw character, even at Its worst, in her child that brought Hester to a greater understanding of herself and a desire to build a better life for Pearl. Pearl was much than merely her mothers tormentor--she was her blessing, her life, and the giver of the freedom to live a life true to herself and to her God. Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York Bantam Books, 1989. Liberation from Sin through Pearl in The Scarlet Letter Essay -- ScarlLiberation from Sin through Pearl in The Scarlet Letter This child ... hath come from the hand of God, to work in many ways upon her heart ... It was meant for a blessing, for the one blessing of her life It was meant, doubtless ... for a retribu tion too a torture to be felt at many an unthought-of moment a pang, as sting, an ever-recurring agony, in the midst of a troubled joy (Hawthorne 105) This, as Arthur Dimmesdale almost prophetically expresses in the early scenes of Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter, was the role of Pearl, the elfish child borne of his and Hester Prynnes guilty passion. Like Pauls thorn in the flesh, Pearl would bring trouble, heartache, and frustration to Hester, but serve a constructive purpose lying far beyond the daily provocations of her childish impishness. While in many respects a tormentor to Hester, Pearl was also her savior, while a reminder of her guilt, a promoter of honesty and true Virtue and while an embodiment of Hesters worst qualities, a vision of a better life for Hester and for herself. From the very beginning of The Scarlet Letter, while Hester is shamed by having a baby as tangible evidence of her sin and shame, the responsibility of caring for Pearl and raising her with love and wisdom serves to calm the defiant, destructive passion of Hesters nature and to save her from its wild, desperate promptings. This sentiment is poignantly portrayed in Hesters visit to the Governors mansion. While there, she pleads with the Governor, magistrates, and ministers that she be allowed to keep Pearl, exclaiming, She is my happiness--She is my torture, none the less Pearl keeps me here in life Pearl punishes me too See ye not, she is the scarlet letter, only... ...er to overcome the passion, once so wild that had brought her to ruin and shame. (Hawthorne, 165) It was Hesters motherly sentiments to nurture and love her child that saved her from temptation and from death and opened her heart to the poor and needy around her. It was the torturous fixation of her child upon her shame that tempered and refined her character and led her toward the precious virtue of being true to herself and others. And it was the reflection of her own character, even at Its worst, in her child that brought Hester to a greater understanding of herself and a desire to build a better life for Pearl. Pearl was more than merely her mothers tormentor--she was her blessing, her life, and the giver of the freedom to live a life true to herself and to her God. Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York Bantam Books, 1989.