This paper discusses feminism found in Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne reveals a certain image of womanhood that stands out as a central theme; his message of feminism comes across in his main protagonist, Hester. We see her not only as a woman who has committed adultery, but as a woman standing for something bigger than that: Passion. Hawthorne gave women permission to feel passion, to be real, and to step away from what was considered "ideal" for the times.