Was the Punishment That Hester Prynne Received in "The Scarlet Letter" a Fair Punishment?

Hester Pyrnne committed adultery with reverend Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter; this fact is not disputed. However, such an act did not warrant a lifetime of disgrace. Hester should have been punished for her sin, but wearing the Scarlet "A" for the rest of her life was too harsh of a punishment. The lifetime sentence to wear the "A" did not leave any possibility for repentance, forgiveness, or recognition for a lifestyle change. Hester deserved to be punished for committing adultery, but wearing the scarlet letter "A" for her entire life was much too punitive.
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