Many a modern day lover carves his beloved’s name on his hand, arm or some such definable portion of his physical body. This action is an attempt to immortalise the beloved as a part of his physical existence. Ofcourse it helps in the declaration of the sincerity of his love and is a stamp of surety of his allegiance.
Hyster Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, ‘The Scarlet Letter’ bears the burden of her shame i.e. giving birth to an illegitimate child outside the bounds of marriage. The society scars her not by tattooing her hand, but by making her embroider the letter ‘A’ on her attire, signifying her grave sin. She was thus to be shamed for life; for anyone who set eyes on that scarlet letter, richly embroidered by Hyster herself (perhaps as a celebration of the joy of the bond and her way of glorifying her love), was to be a witness of her so called crime.
The reflection to this story is another story where the man tattooed his beloved’s name on his hand…. and then deserted her.
And she made no such overt declarations to the world. But you see, if you rip her heart apart, if you could view her soul…. You will find the his name embalmed there, for eternity.. Her Scarlet letter!!
“Look, its emblazoned on my hand for the world to see”, exclaimed he.
“Alas, it adorns my heart, I have nothing to show thee”, her soul spoke to him.
