Beauty, in all its forms and aspects, is considered by the general population to be the eighth mortal sin. This becomes strikingly evident throughout the examination of Hester's fate. Hester Prynne, a radiant example of elegance, only begins to reconcile herself in the public eye once she extinguishes her flame of beauty. Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne's condemnation of what Hester's beauty implies stands in stark contrast to the audience's condemnation of beauty itself. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The public believed that beauty was the direct path to fall, sin, and ignominy. Early in the novel, at the height of Hester's shame and disgrace, she is described as "tall, with a figure of perfect elegance on a grand scale" (40). This dazzling disposition, however, becomes a source of downfall for Hester. His blatant refusal to resemble a penitent Puritan is poorly received by the public. They interpret beauty as sinful, as exemplified by self-proclaimed Puritan saints, one of whom suggests marking Hester's forehead; this other resident was “the ugliest as well as the most merciless” (39). Those who lack beauty consider themselves the most worthy to pass judgment, condemning those who, in their eyes, are sinful because of their refusal to cast a shadow over their radiance. Hester is tight-lipped, talkative, and excluded from everyday life. She stands out, a bright flower in a sea of ​​gray, making everyone around her not only suspicious, but also angered by her blatant refusal to conform, which they see as synonymous with repentance and forgiveness. Hawthorne immediately highlights the striking difference between Hester and the others. She is, from the beginning, isolated in her own sphere of shame, kept there not only by her sexual transgressions, but also by the sin and shame that her natural beauty brings. While everyone around Hester passes judgment based on superficial appearances, Hawthorne delves deeper, not condemning beauty, but condemning the deeper meanings and connotations of Hester's beauty. Hawthorne finds fault not with physical beauty, but with the inner state of the heart. Hester, from the beginning, felt the crushing weight of her sin deep within her being. Although her outward appearance reflects an attitude of unrepentance, she “suffered agony at every step of those who thronged to see her” (41). She sincerely regrets and sincerely seeks to repent of her sin. Hawthorne first criticizes the passion implied by Hester's beauty, not the beauty itself. Over time, Hester moves from “passion and feeling to thought” (107). In light of the dramatic change in the deepest parts of her being, Hawthorne praises Hester and her ability to turn from her sin. For this reason, the reader is led to perceive Hester as a protagonist, because the only one is a town overflowing with religious fervor to be truly holy. Hawthorne is able to discern what others cannot discern: true character. For example, Roger Chillingworth was “a striking proof of man's ability to transform himself into a devil” (110). Chillingworth is, in Hawthorne's eyes, the worst sinner in town. His heart is blackened and he is perhaps the most unsightly character seen throughout the novel. However, despite his obvious attempts at malice, he was a “brilliant acquisition” and was “cordially received” by the community (80). People don't find anyfailing in Chillingworth, as he is not radiant in a suspicious way nor does he stand out among the crowd. He is exceptionally average in all aspects of his physical being, which allows him to be accepted and warmly welcomed into the community. Hawthorne condemns Chillingworth for his horrible and sinful internal intentions. The community, however, happily lives in ignorant bliss, accepting his outward manifestations of religious life and passively refusing to delve into the true content of his character. Hawthorne associates inner beauty with penitence and forgiveness, while the audience views the most beautiful as those with the most sin. Refusing to conform to the Puritan beliefs of an earlier era, Hawthorne condemns a number of the city's ugliest people, looking beyond their outward facades, to reveal their true sin and ignominy. Yet while Hawthorne focuses on Hester's internal torment, the crowd sees only her "haughty smile and a look that would not be ashamed" (40). Blinded by their strict regulations and stifling laws, the audience is unable to discern anything other than Hester's outward appearance. His scarlet letter, “made of fine red cloth, surrounded by elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread,” prompts immediate speculation about the state of his heart (40). Her beauty, her extravagance and her brilliance make her seen as an irreparable sinner and as someone entirely worthy of the weight of shame that weighs on her shoulders. However, over time, Hester takes on a humiliated face, causing “a…sad transformation in the attractiveness of her person” (107). As she extinguishes her flame of beauty, there is a noticeable change in the way Hester is perceived. The city showed “its former victim a more benevolent face,” in which people began to re-assimilate her into their society (106). At the height of her beauty, Hester experiences the height of public acceptance, as people move from mockery to admiration, from the title "Adulteress" to the title "Capable." Scavan Bercovitch, a scholar interested in the study of early American literature and New England Puritan culture, states that "the bond that [Hester] thus reestablishes with the community gives another moral interpretation to her 'new birth “as an American” (578). Hester is recreated in Puritan society. As she “plays the role” of a puritan, she blends inconspicuously into colorless dresses and slumped shoulders. In all aspects of a Puritan community, beauty is a sin, evidenced by the “garments of sad colors and gray hats crowned with steeples” (36). Hester recognizes this and is aware that she is unable to fully repent while still indulging in sin. Thus, even when she is perfectly capable of fleeing the community of her ignominy, she chooses to return to it, reclaiming "her long-abandoned shame" and leading a quiet and humble life, without extravagance (165). Hester does this in a final attempt to reach the point of complete repentance and to find acceptance in the hearts of the people around her by illustrating her resounding commitment to repentance. Hester herself even begins to believe that beauty is a sin and thus feels the need to deprive herself of it. Her solitary sphere of confinement begins to disappear, as she begins to conform to the dull and solemn lifestyle of the Puritan community around her. This acceptance, however, is not rooted in the transformation of one's inner spirit, but rather in the transformation of one's appearance. Beauty, according to the Puritans, was one of the means of.