Beauty, in every shape and form, is considered by the general population to be the eighth mortal sin. This becomes strikingly evident when examining Hester's predicament. Hester Prynne, a shining example of elegance, begins to reconcile in the eyes of the public only when she extinguishes her flame of beauty. Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne's condemnation of what Hester's beauty entails 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 Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The public believed that beauty was the direct path to fall, sin, and ignominy. At the beginning of the novel, at the height of Hester's shame and disgrace, she is described as “tall, with a figure of perfect elegance on a large scale” (40). This dazzling arrangement, however, becomes a source of ruin for Hester. His blatant refusal to play the part of a penitent puritan is poorly received by the audience. They interpret beauty as sin, as made evident by self-styled Puritan saints, one of whom suggests branding Hester's forehead; this other resident was “the ugliest and at the same time the most ruthless” (39). Those who lack beauty consider themselves the most worthy of judgment, condemning those who, in their eyes, are sinners due to their refusal to cast a shadow on their splendor. Hester is stared at, gossiped about, and shunned from everyday life. She stands out, a bright flower in a sea of ​​grey, making everyone around her not only suspicious, but also angry at 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. From the beginning she is isolated in her own sphere of shame, kept there not only by her sexual transgressions, but by the sin and shame that her natural beauty brings her. While everyone around Hester judges based on surface-level appearances, Hawthorne digs deeper, not condemning the beauty, but condemning the deeper meanings and connotations of Hester's beauty. Hawthorne finds fault not in physical beauty, but in the inner condition of the heart. Hester, from the beginning, felt the crushing weight of her sin in the deepest parts of her being. Although her outward appearance conveys an attitude of unrepentance, she "suffered agony at every step of those who crowded to see her" (41). She is sincerely sorry and sincerely seeks repentance for her sin. Hawthorne is initially critical of the passion that Hester's beauty entails, not of the beauty itself. As time passes, Hester moves from “passion and feeling to thought” (107). In light of the dramatic change in the deepest parts of his being, Hawthorne praises Hester and her ability to turn away from sin. For this reason the reader is led to perceive Hester as the protagonist, since the only one is a city full of religious fervor that is truly holy. Hawthorne is able to discern what others cannot: 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 unpleasant character seen in the entire novel. However, despite his obvious attempts at malevolence, he was a “brilliant acquisition” and was “cordially welcomed” by the community (80). People find no fault with Chillingworth, as he is not suspiciously radiant, nor does he stand out betweenthe crowd. He is exceptionally average in every aspect of his physical being, which has led him to be accepted and warmly welcomed into the community. Hawthorne condemns Chillingworth for his horrible and sinful internal intentions. The community, however, is content to live in ignorant bliss, accepting its outward manifestations of religious life and passively refusing to look deeper into the true content of its character. Hawthorne links inner beauty with penance and forgiveness, while the audience sees the most beautiful as those who have the most sins. Refusing to conform to the Puritan beliefs of old, Hawthorne condemns some of the ugliest people in the city, looking beyond their outward facades to reveal their true sin and ignominy. However, while Hawthorne focuses on Hester's internal torment, the crowd sees only her “haughty smile and an unashamed look” (40). Blinded by their strict regulations and suffocating laws, the audience is unable to discern anything other than Hester's outward appearance. Her scarlet letter, "in fine red cloth, surrounded by elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread," suggests immediate speculation regarding the condition of her heart (40). Her beauty, extravagance, and brilliance make her perceived as an irreparable sinner and as someone completely worthy of the weight of shame thrown on her shoulders. However, as time passes, Hester assumes a humble demeanor, causing "the attractiveness of her person [to] undergo a... sad transformation" (107). As she extinguishes her flame of beauty, there is a noticeable change in how Hester is perceived. The city showed “its former victim a more benevolent face,” in which people began to reassimilate her into their society (106). At the height of her beauty, Hester experiences the height of public acceptance, as people go from ridicule to admiration, from the title of "Adulteress" to the title of "Able". Scavan Bercovitch, a scholar engaged in the study of early American literature and New England Puritan culture, states that "[Hester's] reforged bond with the community lends another moral interpretation to her 'new birth' as ​​an American." (578). Hester is recreated in Puritan society. As she "plays the part" of a prude, she silently blends in with colorless clothes and drooping shoulders. In every aspect of a Puritan community, beauty is a sin, made evident through the “sadly colored garments and gray steeple-crowned hats” (36). Hester recognizes this and is aware that she is incapable of being fully repentant while indulging in sin. Thus, even when he is perfectly capable of fleeing the community of his ignominy, he chooses to return, taking on “his long-abandoned shame” and living a quiet and humble life, devoid of extravagance (165). Hester does this in a final attempt to reach the point of full repentance and find acceptance in the hearts of the people around her by exemplifying her resounding commitment to repentance. Hester herself even begins to believe that beauty is a sin, and therefore feels the need to deprive herself of it. Her solitary sphere of confinement begins to disappear, as she begins to conform to the gray and solemn lifestyle of the Puritan community around her. This acceptance, however, is not rooted in the transformation of his inner spirit, but rather in the transformation of his appearance. Beauty, according to the Puritans, was one of the ways to measure holiness. Regardless of internal conditions, beauty was, without a doubt, a horrible and deadly sin. Hester believes that "the force of necessity awaits [her] return, along with that self-negative and.