Character Analysis
Esther's the girl who works with Gabriel and who ends up pregnant with his child. She's sort of a classic lost soul who doesn't go to church and goes out with all kinds of men. When Gabriel invites her to church, he can see her sinfulness just by the way she's dressed:
And, indeed, from their apparel the sinfulness of their lives was evident: Esther wore a blue hat, trimmed with many ribbons, and a heavy, wine-red dress. (2.2.126)
This color signals her dangerous attraction. It's like the scarlet letter, only bigger. Her whole dress is scarlet.
Unfortunately she is punished dearly for seducing the preacher, Gabriel. When she tells him she's pregnant with his child, he sends her away with some money, hoping to ignore the problem. Esther curses him on her deathbed (which is also where she gives birth to their son, Royal) and writes a letter rebuking him for the way he has treated her:
What I think is, I made a mistake, that's true, and I'm paying for it now. But don't you think you ain't going to pay for it—I don't know when and I don't know how, but I know you going to be brought low one of these fine days. I ain't holy like you are, but I know right from wrong. (2.2.282)
Esther has a strong sense of right and wrong that doesn't have anything to do with the Bible, but has to do with her own perception of justice. She knows that Gabriel has treated her poorly and goes to the grave angry with him. And we know if there's anything worse than ghosts, it's angry ghosts.