Chillingworth And Dimmesdale In Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter'

In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the main characters have different kinds of burdens to carry depending on their level of ownership over their actions and identity. Dimmesdale has the worst burden to bear because he did not own up to his actions until the very end, Hester has to adjust to the punishment that the Puritans gave her, and Pearl has no burden because she is honest. Throughout the novel, they face different obstacles that contribute to their everyday lives that makes it hard to process everything at once. It’s also to show how the characters were able to face the problems and deal with them

Pearl grows up without knowing who her father is. She is asked by her mother if she knows why she wears The Scarlet Letter, and Pearl replies, “Truly I do! It is the same reason that the minister keeps his hand over his heart!”(Hawthorne 157). Hester and Dimmesdale both get outcasted by the community. They both go through the same pain even though no one knows that Dimmesdale is Pearl’s father. She loves Dimmesdale so much that she protects him from the community. Hester tries to protect Dimmesdale from the community because of all the guilt he

Guilt, shame, and penitence are just a few of the emotions that are often associated with a great act of sin. Mr. Arthur Dimmesdale, a highly respected minister of a 17th century Puritan community, is true example of this as he was somehow affected by all of these emotions after committing adultery. Due to the seven years of torturous internal struggle that finally resulted in his untimely death, Mr. Dimmesdale is the character who suffered the most throughout Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Mr. Dimmesdale’s ever present guilt and boundless penance cause him an ongoing mental struggle of remorse and his conscience as well as deep physical pain from deprivation and self inflicted wounds. The external influence of the members of

Primarily, Hester undergoes a high burden, constantly being reminded of her sin day in and day out. Unlike Dimmesdale, Hester has a reminder standing right in front of her every day. Pearl is the angel child formed by the satanic relationship between Hester and Dimmesdale, which influences Hester to fear Pearl’s future. Every day, Hester “dread[s] to detect some dark and wild peculiarity, that should correspond to the guiltiness to which she owe[s] her being” (Hawthorne 104). The initial frailty of Hester leads to her poor choice in having an affair with Dimmesdale, which then results in the birth of Pearl, causing Hester’s distress.

Another important scene in the book is when the governor makes the threat of removing Pearl from Hester. One reason that convinces the governor to take Pearl away is she says in the novel, “I had not been made at all, but had been plucked from the bush of wild roses that grew by the prison-door” (Hawthorne 123). This makes the governor even more suspicious of Hester being able to care well for Pearl as a mother. Although Hester responds to the governor’s reaction by saying she’ll die before she gives up Pearl. This response from Hester is important, because it shows how much she cares about Pearl and her well-being. Also, Dimmesdale speaks in Hester’s behalf “God gave her the child, and gave her, too, an instinctive knowledge of its nature and requirements…” (Hawthorne 125).

Old Mr. Prynne began his new life in the town of Boston as the Physician Roger Chillingworth. The moment he arrived, the town deemed him intelligent and mild mannered; he always seemed pleasant although a little odd. Throughout the seven years he remained in Boston, his character changed so dramatically from admirable to evil that even those who did not know him personally seemed to notice an evil nature deep within his soul trying to break free.

"If thou feelest it to be for thy soul's peace, and that thy earthly punishment will thereby be made more effectual to salvation, I charge thee to speak out the name of thy fellow-sinner and fellow-sufferer!" said by Arthur Dimmesdale in chapter three . Dimmesdale knew that Hester had a husband that was going to be on the next boat after her. When the townspeople found out about Hester having Pearl he did not say anything about him being the father of Pearl. Dimmesdale ignored Hester and Pearl until he was about to die. Out of Hester, Chillingworth, and Dimmesdale the one who is at most fault is dimmesdale because he knew Hester had a husband, by not telling the townspeople when they found out about Hester having Pearl, and by how he ignores them till he was about to die.

In the story “Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne there were characteristics and ways that distinguished Hester from Dimmesdale. On pages 68 and 69 Nina Baym made the statement that Dimmesdale depends on the opinion of the society while Hester stands alone throughout her trials and tribulations. If the author put it clear as possible on the situation at hand and the circumstances that favored Dimmesdale more than Hester while she faced her consequences head on while he hid from them. There is a tremendous amount of overloading evidence and information throughout the story proving this statement.

The old clergyman wailed of excruciating pain. The searing of his flesh made everyday tasks unbearable. As he removed his cloak in the darkness of the woods, he notices the scar that will forever be imprinted on his skin, and his soul, is bleeding. The shining of the red is mesmerizing. His own personal Scarlet Letter. This explains the turmoil of Reverend Dimmesdale in the Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorne describes the sinful Reverend through his themes of guilt and sin, within his novel, The Scarlet Letter. More than 100 years into the future, John C. Gerber released his interpretation of the Scarlet Letter. In the book, he touches upon the guilt that Dimmesdale faces, due to the covering up of his sinful

Although stories usually revolve around a plot to teach the character, as well as the reader, a lesson, the characters themselves are there to show something or teach something. These characters have roles that they need to play. In The Scarlet Letter Dimmesdale's character is meant to show the reader what guilt looks and feels like.

In chapter six’s passage, Hawthorne emphasizes Pearl’s beauty and her grandiose character, even though she was created out of sin and guilt. Hawthorne juxtaposes the town’s perspective of Pearl, as being a child of wrongdoing, to Hester’s view of her being an angelic figure, which a glowing spirit. The author juxtaposes the “absolute circle of radiance around [Pearl]” to “the darksome cottage-floor” in order to contrast Pearl’s purity to society’s cruel and unjust treatment of her and Hester. Although Pearl is a constant reiteration of Hester’s sin; Hester sees the goodness in her daughter. Hester however, is also fearful that her actions and society’s treatment of them will influence Pearl’s life and character.

Chapter 19: Pearl refuses to join her mother and Dimmesdale because of the missing letter on her chest. At the same time that Hester places the letter back, the sunlight goes back into hiding indicating that some superior force (God) doesn’t agree with her decision to keep the letter on. Pearl continues to be unhappy with Dimmesdale’s shyness in regards to their relationship between the three of them. Pearl’s disapproval of not just Dimmesdale but their plans to escape indicates the immorality of it. Hawthorne allows the reader to take away that rather than fighting the problem at hand, Hester and Dimmesdale are just finding a shortcut out of it.

To all except Hester, Chillingworth remains a mystery. Upon returning to Boston and renaming himself, he found a way to fit into their society as a doctor. Since the people have very little medical care, he is welcomed. Dimmesdale has been suffering from severe heart issues and appears to be deteriorating. The community noticed him frequently clutching his chest, Dimmesdale even refuses the many young lady’s, so Chillingworth urges the town leadership to insist that he have a home doctor. The two men take refuge in a home near the cemetery, where they have the opportunity to contemplate sin and death. Over time, some of the townspeople, begin to grow suspicious about the doctor, they seem to notice the growing look

There are five major scenes in the Scarlet Letter. At the beginning of the book, Hester walks out of the prison and stands on the scaffold to receive her punishment. Later in the book, Hester goes to the governor’s house to argue against them taking Pearl away. Then, Dimmesdale and Hester find each other at the scaffold once again. They also meet in the forest.

I hardly comprehend her! But thou wilt love her dearly, as I do, and wilt advise me how to deal with her” (186). Hester describes her unbalanced feelings and emotions to Dimmesdale. This statement shows that although Pearl’s quirks and oddities cause her to become “strange” in the eyes of others, they form into a love from Hester.