Analyzing Themes Of Hester And Dimmesdale In 'The Scarlet Letter'

Then, concerning Hester and Dimmesdale’s openness with themselves, after they confess they understand themselves better and start to forgive themselves. Finally, through Chillingworth

Dimmesdale is the town’s reverend, whom is looked upon as god by the town’s people. But what no one knows is that he has committed a sin in which he will not tell anyone. This is his greatest secret and greatest fear. This secret he holds is causing his health to deteriorate and cause his to be very ill. Instead of him confessing his sin he chooses to inflict self-punishment; such as fasting, scourging, and all night vigils. He committed the sin of adulthood with Hester Prynn, this sin caused Hester to bear a child. Reverend Dimmesdale is connected to Hester by their child pearl.

The difference between Hester and Dimmesdale’s personal views on sin, and how they deal with their guilt are key themes within The Scarlet Letter.

Reverend Dimmesdale is thin and sickly and always clutches at his chest so Chillingworth becomes his hope for getting better. Though Dimmesdale doesn’t believe medicine can heal him, he caves and agrees to let Chillingworth help him. The two men spend time together and Chillingworth believes that he should analyze the reverend spiritually, physically, and mentally in order to cure him. Over time, they think it is a good idea for them ot temporarily move in together, being that Dimmesdale wasn’t married. Some of the townspeople think it is wise but others start thinking Chillingworth has “ugly and evil in his face” and that he has changed. Chillingowrth is dedicated to finding out who committed adultery with Hester. I think this shows shis darker side that he would do anything to reveal whom his wife cheated on him with.

And also get a better understanding of how Dimmesdale of how Dimmesdale's sin and guilt is affecting him and his everyday life. In fact at one point Dimmesdale wants Hester to admit him being the father for him telling her, “Heaven has granted you the opportunity to work out an open triumph over evil within yourself. Do not deny him the same chance, for perhaps he does not have the courage to grasp the

Attempting to hide his past relationship with Hester Chillingworth changed his name. Dimmesdale is ill which is affecting his heart greatly. Chillingworth suggests that Dimmesdale lives with the doctor. The men live in a home near a cemetery previously owned by a widow. As time passes the citizens begin to get a satanic feel given off by Chillingworth. Chillingworth brings back a weed that Dimmesdale questions. Chillingworth states he found it upon someone's grave. Pearl pulls her mother away saying the black man has gotten the minister. Dimmesdale has a mark on his chest that makes the doctor happy. Chillingworth continues play tricks with Dimmesdale’s mind. Dimmesdale begins to have dreams which keep him awake. Dimmesdale blames himself because

Dimmesdale brings out the nature and the good aspect of Hester and Chillingworth brings out the evil. Dimmesdale is a kind person who just wants to do the right thing but doesn't have the courage to confess to his crime. Chapter 12 "Then, and there, before the judgment seat, they mother, and thou, and I, must stand together. " In the book it take Dimmesdale a long amount of time before he is actually able to confess to what he has done and he doesn't even do it in public.

Instead of confessing to the community, Dimmesdale, to try and seek forgiveness in another way than confessing, tortures himself to the brink of death. Whilst talking to Hester in the forest, Dimmesdale says: “Had I one friend, —or were it my worst enemy! —to whom, when sickened with the praises of all other men, I could daily betake myself, and be known as the vilest of all sinners, methinks my soul might keep itself alive thereby. Even thus much of truth would save me! But now, it is all falsehood! —all emptiness! —all death!” (288-289). Dimmesdale is depressed in the way that the only thing keeping him alive is his sin. Hester after seven years, is seen as a sort of hero in the community, which is shown when the town calls her “our Hester” (244). Dimmesdale is not able to confess and be forgiven, in relation to Hester already being forgiven and living a relatively decent life. Dimmesdale also must look to other methods for forgiveness while Hester lives with a static punishment. Dimmesdale physically whips himself to attempt to achieve forgiveness, he also does not have anyone to counsel about his feelings, which leads to much depression. Dimmesdale also must deal with physical and mental pain, while Hester deals with

Dimmesdale realizes that he must confess his sin and face whatever consequences may lie ahead of him, whether or not his confession is seven years past due. Before reaching the “well-remembered and weather-darkened scaffold,” where Hester Prynne had encountered the “world’s ignominious stare,” Arthur Dimmesdale cautiously comes to a pause (246). Only two people in the crowd, Roger Chillingworth (Hester’s husband) and Hester Prynne, understand why Dimmesdale halts before ascending up the scaffold. He will finally reveal his identity to the town and release the guilt that has built inside of him for seven years. As Hester and Pearl are about to accompany Dimmesdale up to the scaffold, Chillingworth “trusts himself through the crowd” – or, from Hawthorne’s description, “so dark, disturbed, and evil was his look,” Chillingworth “rose up out of some nether region to snatch back his victim from what he sought to do” (247). Ignoring Chillingworth’s effort to stop Dimmesdale, the three mount the scaffold and face the eager crowd. In one of Dimmesdale’s final speeches, he claims that Hester’s scarlet letter “is but the shadow of what he bears on his own breast” (250). The moment after Dimmesdale reveals his ‘scarlet letter’, he stood “with a flush of triumph in his face as one who had won a victory” (251). As Dimmesdale had wished, his remorse and internal pain is forgotten once he reveals his true identity, allowing his soul to experience its elapsed freedom.

Hester and Dimmesdale are saved for the fact that they’ve confessed, letting the town know of the sins they committed together. Hester brandishes the scarlet letter for so many years, reminding people and herself of the sin she committed, allowing her to be cleansed of sin and purified. Dimmesdale is terrorized

With this symbol, I undo it all, and make it as it had never been” (211). This decision she made inevitably changed their future. Without Hester’s decisions, Dimmesdale’s torture could have went on forever. Instead, the couple was put on a path of freedom faraway from the New England colony. If it had not been for Dimmesdale’s choice to confess his sins to the people and to God at the last moment, they might have lived happily together in

Hester teaches an important lesson with her example that adversity does not have to be regarded in a negative way, and what you chose to do with it can either hinder or improve you as an individual. Hester discovered inner strength, while Dimmesdale tucked away any good quality he had. Hester encouraged new life and starting again, while Dimmesdale would rather wallow in his suffering and swim in seas of

Dimmesdale’s love and agony towards Hester was shown in his physical and mental degeneration, furthermore, his love to Pearl, his daughter, was shown when he was trying to kiss her, but he always got her refusal, and this was the climax of his weakness and deterioration of character. yet, at the end of the novel, Dimmesdale’s health was in it’s worst stages, therefore he had nothing to lose, so he confronts his society and tells them about is adultery crime that he committed with Hester, and after he did that he gives up life, but as a matter of fact his death was not a sad one, for he was relieved from the pain in his heart and also got to kiss his daughter Pearl whom he never got to kiss, hence, at the end of the novel, the latter character musters courage and loses his weakness which was replaced with the powerful character that confronted without fear.

The townspeople, in shock, sympathize Hester because the unknown adulterer exposes his secret. As Dimmesdale finishes his last words to his true love, he dies in Hester’s arms. Watching Hester lose the love of her life and Pearl lose her father allows others to sympathize them because once again they are left to fend for themselves. The shared feeling between the Puritan town

When Chillingworth enters town, Dimmesdale’s reputation begins to change because the people believe that Dimmesdale is associating with the ‘black man’- Chillingworth. The community has seen that Dimmesdale’s association with Chillingworth has had a negative impact, and that causes his reputation to suffer. From the point in time when Chillingworth entered the town, the people have seen Dimmesdale become thinner and more nervous and darkness consume Chillingworth, leading to this change in reputation. Dimmesdale has also started holding his hand over his heart frequently, leading to the communal belief that the A was having more of an effect, especially through its effect on Chillingworth and Dimmesdale: “To sum up the matter, it grew to be a widely diffused opinion, that the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, like many other personages of especial sanctity, in all ages of the Christian world, was haunted either by Satan himself, or Satan’s emissary, in the guide of old Roger Chillingworth” (112). By the end of the novel, Dimmesdale’s reputation was at it’s lowest point due to the revelation that he was Hester’s co-adulterer. The people were shocked when this was revealed, as “the multitude, silent till then, broke out in a strange, deep voice of awe and wonder, which could not as yet find utterance, save in this murmur that rolled so heavily after the departed spirit” (222). The conclusion to the novel discussed the repercussions of Dimmesdale’s