Accepting Guilt In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

Did you know, that in Puritan Massachusetts adultery was likely punished by death of both committees instead of humiliation? Arthur Dimmesdale, in the book The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is the town reverend and is also the father of Hester’s baby, but his guilt is overwhelming himself because he is unable to confess. Currently, Arthur Dimmesdale is torturing himself so juristically that he has developed a illness so bad that he has to constantly clutch his chest in pain. Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s husband, returns to Boston and sees Hester at the scaffold. Roger Chillingworth, seeing Hester on the scaffold with Pearl and the scarlet letter on her chest, starts a man hunt for the father of Hester’s baby. Chillingworth is also a physician and is living with Arthur Dimmesdale to help out his heart conditions. Chillingworth continues to grow suspicious of Dimmesdale in his man hunt for Pearl’s father, so he is secretly spying on him and giving him potions to help out his illness, which are really for humiliation. Dimmesdale’s insecurities and hopes that he will go to heaven hold him back from confessing to the townspeople. Arthur Dimmesdale’s guilt has changed his character physically and physiologically throughout the book because he has developed an intense heart condition, and his guilt is so intense he is starving himself to try to manage it, although, his physical condition is partly due to the treatment and torture he is undergoing from Roger Chillingworth. In the novel, Nathaniel Hawthorne presents Dimmesdale as the town reverend who is heavily respected to someone who is mentally ill and afraid to confess his sin to the townspeople.

In essence, there were three main sins committed in The Scarlet Letter, the sins of Hester, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. Roger Chillingworth committed the greatest sin because he let himself be ruled by hatred and the consuming desire for vengeance.  The overpowering vengeance and hatred felt by Chillingworth caused his life to be centered on demeaning Dimmesdale and tormenting him until the end of time.  Both Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale committed sins for which they were deeply remorseful, Roger Chillingworth, however, committed the greater sin because he felt no guilt.

Characters lose their innocence throughout American literature. What exactly does “losing their innocence” mean? Losing one’s innocence can be seen as a character maturing. A character may lose his/her innocence in ways including the viewing of a traumatic event, especially one that will scar his/her life forever. Losing one’s innocence can also be caused by losing one’s trust in someone whom he/she once trusted, catching a glimpse into the “real world”, or performing an act of immorality. The recurring theme of loss of innocence, as seen throughout American literature and reality, can affect a person and the people around him/her both negatively and positively. As a result, the audience can see the character mature through losing hope of dreams, becoming an outcast of society, gaining a new perspective of ideas, or gaining confidence. Negative and positive effects falling onto characters as a result of a loss of innocence can be found in works such as The Scarlet Letter, The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, and The Hunger Games; this theme can also be seen in real life through the effects of children exposed to violent video games.

The presence of guilt has been felt by all human beings. As guilt grows in a

The scarlet letter is a symbol of guilt with the power to transform not only its wearer, but everyone involved in its inaugural scandal. Pearl and the letter share a certain relationship, and at times seem to mirror each other, as they exhibit similar tendencies. As children of indignity alike, they unconsciously serve as emotional grim reapers, and together, they unwillingly carry out the supernatural mandate of punishment rationed to them through sadistic and demoniac means. Because the two chosen are but unwilling situational puppets strewn by fate, it is impossible for self proclaimed vigilantes of the paranormal to come out unscathed. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s thusly named romantic novel of 1850, the scarlet letter, its identity, and

Changing Human Nature Human nature is a funny thing. It is what drives us to seek connection with others, to find faith in religions, and it dictates the way we react to almost every situation. Many authors have had opinions on the idea of human nature, and Nathanial Hawthorne is no exception. Through his repeated use of the concept of hidden sin altering one’s personality, he is saying that human nature is as changeable as the people themselves, and never what people expect.

Forgiveness: Necessity or Courtesy? Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, shows how forgiveness is important both to society and the individual. Whether a spiritual part of life, or just an act of courtesy, forgiveness plays a huge role in the lives of both Hester and Dimmesdale.

In this passage fits into the novel of adding to the plot line and character development due to the fact it plays on the theme of blame. Dimmesdale is really trying to get it through Hester’s head that he wants the blame where it belongs. He believes the blame need to be on him. However, she for some reason she refuses to place it on him. You can’t help but just wonder why? Why in the world would she let it get to this where it doesn’t matter if the right person shall get blamed? Is there some sort of reason why she wants to protect him? Is she trying to prove a point? Is it worth it when you are probably the most hated in community from

Public shaming is not new. Shaming a person is a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior. Public shame ruins a person’s life over what they did wrong by being called names, being fired from a job, receiving death threats, and being known for what they did for the rest of their life. Public shame never goes away and is still used today to mock people. Thus, public shame can ruin a person’s life socially, mentally, and personally.

Arthur Dimmesdale, Hester Prynne, and Roger Chillingworth all committed sins that needed forgiveness. Nonetheless , only Hester found what they all sought after. Forgiving themselves and others to receive forgiveness prevails as a major struggle and for Dimmesdale and Chillingworth, that struggle ends in sad deaths. For Hester however, that struggle ends in a righteous redemption from her sin.

Guilt and Relief Author Stefan Zweig once brilliantly wrote “No guilt is forgotten so long as the conscience still knows of it.” In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, pastor Dimmesdale struggles with the guilt that he bears. Though, he tries to fight it and repent for his sins, he is mistaken in his efforts. He will not, however, tell anyone of his sin because he is scared of the possible retaliation from the townspeople. He lives for seven years in this painful state of guilt because he has yet to realize that the only thing that can save him is letting it all out.

Guilt is an emotion that everyone experiences. Depending on what a person does, it can affect them in a way that could change them forever. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne discusses how Hester and Dimmesdale had a baby together. Hester is already a married woman and Dimmesdale is a leader in the church. Hester has since been punished to wear a scarlet letter that shows her sin. This leads her to become guilty and Dimmesdale as well because he hasn’t admitted his sin. Hawthorne analyzes guilt and how Hester has a different outcome when she admits it than Dimmesdale who doesn’t. Some outcomes are better than the other and it’s not always in the way that one expects.

In Puritan society adultery is among the worst of sins. Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is about a young woman named Hester Prynne who breaks the strict moral code of the Puritan society. She commits the sin of adultery with a Puritan minister named Arthur Dimmesdale and has a baby with him named Pearl. However, only she confesses the sin and suffers the consequences, wearing a scarlet “A” on her bosom for the rest of her life. Nathaniel Hawthorne The theme of sin manifests itself in Hester who sins against human and natural law and Chillingworth who sins against natural law. The theme of sin is portrayed through the symbol of arthur dimmesdale’s guilt. Roger chillingworth throughout the novel seeks redemption for his wife’s lover. Hawthorne uses Pearl as a symbol of sin and redemption in the novel, which begins from her

In order for any sin to be forgiven the act of penance must occur. The voluntary self-punishment inflicted as an outward expression of repentance for having done wrong, is known as penance. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter two prominent characters in this literary

"The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread. Shame, Despair, Solitude! … [T]hey had made her strong, but taught her much amiss" (Hawthorne 190). The Scarlet Letter, a novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, guides the reader through the story of Hester Prynne, a young adulteress who must rid herself and her lover of guilt. One of the most prominent themes in the novel is the idea of sin. This topic is best represented by the main character of the story, Hester herself. Her story, one of guilt and redemption, pain and punishment, is similar to the biblical account of the Fall of Adam and Eve, with Hester representing Eve and Dimmesdale, the town clergyman, representing Adam. Overall, the theme of sin is perfectly