Chapter 20-21 – Describe Dimmesdale’s new strange feelings about himself and what happened in the woods. Also, discuss the various people he meets along the way (church elder, elderly widow, young woman convert, sailor, children, and Mistress Hibbins) and his inner turmoil and desires to speak ungodly oaths to them. Lastly, describe his encounter with Chillingworth. Dimmesdale returns to town and can hardly understand the strange change he now sees within himself. He says “ I am not the man for whom you take me! I left him yonder in the forest…” (178). Along the way Dimmesdale runs into the church elder and struggles to use his self-control and not utter the horrible matters he finds himself in. When Dimmesdale comes across the elderly …show more content…
After their brief encounter Dimmesdale believes he has sold him himself or made a bargain with the Devil. When Dimmesdale finally reaches the comfort of his home, Chillingworth is there awaiting his arrival. Dimmesdale explains to the physician that he no longer has use for his medicines. Chillingworth fears that Dimmesdale has knowledge of his true identity and is now aware that he is “no longer a trusted friend, but his bitterest enemy” (184). Chapter 22 – The procession takes place in the marketplace and is comprised of an array of different instruments. As the music begins, a body of soldiers marches the market and are then followed by the town fathers which includes Bradstreet, Endicott, Dudley, and Bellingham. Next in order to the magistrates came Dimmesdale exhibiting energy and strength. As Dimmesdale walks “there was no feebleness of step, as at other times; his frame was not bent; nor did his hand rest ominously upon his heart” (196). To Hester “he seemed so remote from her own sphere,” (196) and unattainable. She feared that a the whole idea of moving to Europe was nothing but a mere delusion, and that “there could be no real bond betwixt the clergyman and herself” (197). Looking at her mother’s face, Pearl asks “was that the same minister that kissed me by the brook?” (197). Her mother scolds her for speaking about Dimmesdale and wishing to bestow a kiss of her own and tells Pearl that “ We must not always talk in the market-place of what
Chillingworth was surprised to find this out. Chillingworth intends to discover and pursue Hester’s lover and to get revenge on him. Chillingworth has a bad feeling about Dimmesdale after waiting and watching every person in the village. Chillingworth decided to move in with Dimmesdale to act as a caring ‘doctor.’ Chillingworth was basically a leech to Dimmesdale, he never left his side and always made sure Dimmesdale had his
Dimmesdale portrays himself very ironically. He is a very well respected reverend and yet, has, for the last 7 years, worked on preaching the word of God, especially while he urges the congregation to confess openly to repent unto God. While, in reality, Dimmesdale is the one whoneeds a clean conscious. He feels like he needs to confess not only to the town but also too himself. Halfway through the novel
In Chapter 9, Chillingworth 's evil nature starts to show. As Dimmesdale suffers with the guilt of being Pearl 's father, Chillingworth acts as a physician who seems to be taking the life out of Dimmesdale even more. The townspeople are beginning to notice that there is"something ugly and evil starting in his face" (Hawthorne, 124). In chapter 10, this theme of evil continues with Chillingworth, for he continues to get worse. In this chapter, it is clear that Chillingworth 's goal of revenge is to increase Dimmesdale’s inner pain. Hawthorne describes Chillingworth as a "thief entering a chamber where a man lies only half asleep" (Hawthorne, 126) as a way to further symbolize his evilness. Chillingworth harasses Dimmesdale constantly about his secrets asking, "why not reveal them here?" (Hawthorne, 128). But even with all the nagging, Dimmesdale refuses to reveal what 's been making him sick on the inside. In chapter 11, Dimmesdale 's suffering only increases. His sermons hint at his sinful nature, but everyone is being mislead by them for they seem to think that Dimmesdale is even more holy. Dimmesdale is "tortured by some black trouble of the soul"(Hawthorne, 137) and yet, his hidden public confessions are misunderstood. However, Dimmesdale is aware of this, for "the minister well knew- subtle, but remorseful hypocrite- that he was"(Hawthorne, 141). In chapter 12, during the night, Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold, in which it can clearly be seen that
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.
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.
Dimmesdale considers it fortunate that they will not be leaving for four days, so that he can have some time to reminisce with his past. He also, begins to think abou this present and his future, and how he has change, and will continue to change, from the man he is now, to the man he is going to
Arthur Dimmesdale, a character of high reputation, overwhelmed by guilt, torn apart by his own wrongdoing, makes his entrance into history as the tragic hero whose life becomes a montage of pain and agony because of his mistakes. The themes leading to Dimmesdale’s becoming a tragic hero are his guilt from his sin, and his reluctance to tarnish his reputation in the town. Guilt plays a huge role in defining Dimmesdale as a tragic hero. Dimmesdale has understood that by not revealing his sin, he has doomed himself. This also connects with the constant struggle with Chillingworth. The mysteries of Dimmesdale’s guilty heart entice Chillingworth to delve into his soul and reveal what has been hidden, causing Dimmesdale great pain and
Name two of the wicked things that he wants to do or say on his way back to town.
The first character that we will try to psychoanalyze and see what unconscious motives are operating within them and their development throughout the course of the novel is Dimmesdale, who has a surprising change through out his course of the novel.first Dimmesdale is shown as a quiet and well learned man who spent most of his time in his study learning and is brought in a place of honor to deal with a sinner of the worst kind--an adulterer. '“Good
<br>In the final scene, Dimmesdale overcomes the grip of Puritanism and turns directly to God. "With God's help, I will escape thee now," he says to Chillingworth. In fact, he does escape Satan, commending himself into the hands of grace. Dimmesdale finally wins his battle against evil. He faces God and dies with an open conscience, knowing of his salvation and freedom from
Throughout this chapter Dimmesdale is tempted to do things, and is described as “At every step he was incited to do some strange, wild, wicked thing or another” (Hawthorn, 171). This is also confirmed by Olivia Taylor in her paper in which see is comparing Rev. Dimmsdale to a character from another novel “Like Dimmesdale, she too experiences moments of seeming insanity as she labors”(Taylor, 2). Much like Jesus was tested by satan after fasting for forty days Dimmesdale is tempted time and time again, but dimmesdale is not Jesus, and in his current condition by the end of his journey home Dimmesdale is nothing but a hollow shell of his former self, and he enters his house a broken man. Before We dive deeper in to the chapter let us look at a brief overview written by Robert
Dimmesdale is constantly torn at by guilt. His affair with Hester has left him a broken man. He resorts to self-mutilation as a form of punishment, too afraid to publically confess. His guilt destroys him, and he becomes physically broken, as his sin begins to manifest itself more and more. He has to decide whether he should confess his sin, and begin to actually repent, or keep it hidden, protecting his mortal life and public image. Chillingworth does his best to dissuade him from the former, knowing
Chillingworth made Dimmesdale suffer by exaggerating his illness, and humiliating him with guilt of his sin “a bodily disease which we look upon as whole and entire within itself, may, after all, be but an ailment in the spiritual part”. the fragility and susceptibility of Dimmesdale states clearly his weakness, moreover.
He is either to run away and leave behind his lies or confess to the colony about his relationship with Hester. At the end of the book, we find out that Dimmesdale chose to confess about the life he has hidden for seven years. He brings up Hester and Pearl and tells society, “People of New England! … ye, that have loved me! ye, that have deemed me holy!
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