Hester By Paula Reed

In the mid 1800’s, Nathaniel Hawthorn gave us “The Scarlet Letter”. Hawthorn’s famous work takes place in 17th century Boston in a rigid Puritan community and tells the story of Hester Pryne a young woman whose husband was presumably lost at sea several years ago being led from prison with her infant daughter in her arms wearing an embroidered letter “A” on the breast of her gown, a badge of her shame and the sin of adultery. Her further punishment in to stand on a raised scaffold for the next three hours to be viewed by the people of the village and to be questioned and shamed by the Governor and other high officials including the pious and respected young minister Roger Dimmesdale who joins the throng in an impassioned plea for Hester to name her lover. She continues to refuse to do so.

It is at this time that a stranger shows up who identifies himself as Roger Chillingworth a practice of medicine. He is actually Hester’s husband who refuses to admit his identity and later, forces Hester not to acknowledge him. He makes up his mind that somehow he will find out who Hester’s lover is and kill him.

Hester clings to the Scarlet Letter, she refuses to remove it; she is shunned by the community but because of her seamstress abilities she is able to make a living and raise her daughter. Hester, after a time of charitable deeds has an easier life but she becomes able to look at persons in the village and know their sins this ability shows her that no one seems to be without sin and many of the most pious share the sin of adultery.

The story goes on to reveal that Arthur Dimmesdale is Hester’s lover and the father of their daughter, Pearl. Hester and Arthur finally decide to confess and leave on a ship to England. As they stand before the village Arthur exposes his chest and presents an “A’ that has been burned over his heart. Arthur dies; Chillingworth does not get his revenge. When Roger dies, he claims Pearl as hi own and leaves her hi fortune.
Hester and Pearl Leave Boston for many years and Hester The returns alone. Hester lives the rest of her days in the village doing charity, she is accepted by the women of the village and when she dies, is buried next to Arthur. On the simple tombstone they share is written “On a Field, Sable, The Letter “A”, Gules”

“HESTER”

Paula Reed, in her “Hester” has written a story she calls the missing years of the “Scarlet Letter”.

Hester and Pearl are still in Boston, Pearl is seven years old, Hester still has what she calls her “touch” but she is, now, accepted by the women in the community and they look to her for advice. Roger Chillingworth dies and leaves his very substantial fortune to Pearl who, in his will, he claims to be his daughter. Hester and Pearl leave for England to start a new life.

Seventeenth Century England was Protestant, Catholics and Jews were hated. Mary, Queen of Scot was maligned as a “Papist whore” Oliver Cromwell was Lord Protector of the Commonwealth and in his zeal to keep England Protestant and to ferret out “secret Catholics” he had spies all over and tortured his suspects into confession.

Hester and Pearl began their life in England by living with and becoming a part of the family of a girlhood friend who was married to a high ranking military man, one of Cromwell’s people, who was away from home most of the time fighting Catholic rebels. Through this connection she met Cromwell who somehow discovers Hester’s ability to see sin and hypocrisy in others and he blackmails her to help him expose disloyal people. One of Cromwell’s fears is that England might be attacked by one of the Catholic kings and be aided by the “secret” Catholics in England. Hester becomes very much involved in the political and social intrigues of the times to the point that she endangers her life and others close to her.

This was a very interesting and well told story. Hester had a love afair in England but after arranging a suitable marriage for Pearl, she returned to Boston to die alone.