In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, there isn't much of an introduction for the main character in the beginning. Hester is introduced to the readers as a sinner right when the negative commentary is being said about her from some of the citizens. They are Puritans so they just immediately condemn her for adultery. Hawthorne describes her as really pretty with details of how she is dressed and her facial features. The puritan females in the book probably secretly envied her grace and angelic outlook. I'm sure if anyone dared to compliment her physical looks, they would be negatively looked at by others.
In the first chapter, there are some elements of Romanticism too. The jail is described as gloomy, but it is contrasted with scent and beauty of a rose bush. Nature is an element of romanticism along with dark, deep emotion/setting. Furthermore, a rose is red, and Hester had a red A on her bosom so that color is significant. When I think of red, I think of danger or urgency because of stop lights and signs.. I also think of passion and desire. Thinking of the devil also makes me think red could mean something with anger or a wrath. The rosebush could hint to people coming near the jail that their is danger nearby because the people in jail have done something bad enough for them to get in there, but the beauty of it makes a view attracted to it. This could be similar to when Hester is seen with the red A. The red alarms the people to turn away from her, but her beauty and the loudness of the color of the red of the A attracts them to her or makes them want to talk pessimistically about her.
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