How Is Arthur Successful In The Scarlet Letter

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

Whether he meant to or not, Arthur was very convincing in his speech, which leads one to believe that he was being pulled in two completely opposite directions. A part of him wanted more than anything to have the weight of this secret sin lifted from his conscience; another part of him, arguably the practical part, knew that he could never let the people know the truth. His facade and image were much too important not only to him, but to the entire community. If he had admitted to everyone what he had done, then he would have been seen, not only as a hypocrite, but a betrayer of everyone's trust. Some people in the community might have even started doubting the religion because, if this man who they considered holy and righteous, could not live a life without sin, then how could they? Clearly, Arthur was asking these questions as well, and the world in which he had lived and had served so faithfully was beginning to close in on him. It was because of this that his health began to fail and his body could, at the end, no longer handle the weight and sadness of his soul. His spirit had been lost long before his body gave out.

Dimmesdale and Chillingworth both keep a secret, but these secrets affect them differently. Chillingworth keeps his identity and quest of revenge a secret, while Dimmesdale keeps his sin a secret. Chillingworth’s appearance turns more dark and evil in accordance to his secrets, while Dimmesdale punishes himself for his. Dimmesdale grows more and more delusional and rather insane as the story progresses, however only Chillingworth seems to notice, and speaking of, Chillingworth seems to revel in discovering Dimmesdale’s secret, for he seems to have found his

18) The constant reminder that Dimmesdale is suffering is he always has his hand over his heart. This may be because he also has a scarlet letter secretly on his chest for the sin he committed and has been hiding for years. Other than this, Dimmesdale’s guilt and lies he’s been living is just his own constant reminders that he is suffering.

Arthur was a respected yet secretive man. He committed a sin which brought pain and suffering to many others and himself. He was living in pain for several years. This lead to another medical problem, causing him to be accompanied by Dr. Roger Chillingworth. Roger worked in attempt to cure him, but failed to save him.

The Scarlet Letter Dimmesdale could be a hero or a coward in hiding his sin from the Puritan community, but based on the evidence in the book, he is portrayed as a coward. In the book he continues his daily life as he usually would have, he has many chances to admit that he was the other person to participate in the sin with Hester, and he doesn’t continually pressure Hester into telling who the father of Pearl is. First of all, Dimmesdale continued his daily life as if he hadn’t sinned with Hester. For example, during the punishment of Hester he allowed himself to remain above the community with the other powerful people instead of not going to her punishment. This also showed when he appeared with Bellingham, Wilson, and Chillingworth in Bellingham’s house.

Not only does Dimmesdale self-harm, but Hester’s husband, Roger Chillingworth, psychologically abuses him too. Dimmesdale is so overwhelmed with guilt that he is begins to torture himself as an act of penance. However, the only way he is going to get forgiveness and align himself back on the moral path is if he publicly stands on the scaffold with Hester and Pearl. Yet Dimmesdale cannot do this, so he instead he whips himself, fasts for an extreme amount of time, and prays constantly. “In Mr. Dimmesdale’s secret closet, under lock and key, there was a bloody scourge…

“To sigh, yet not recede; to grieve, yet not repent.” George Crabbe. Everyone agrees that Pearl had a father, while some believe that Dimmesdale should have confessed, but others reckon he should not have confessed. Dimmesdale should have confessed for these three reasons: Chillingworth would know who it was, Dimmesdale would be able to show his face without guilt, and his actions were heinously sinful.

Arthur Dimmesdale, is a puritan minister who has always been viewed as a positive and Godly figure to his parishioners. But within the depths of his soul, Dimmesdale has a deep dark secret he has been hiding for fear he would be banished from his puritan society. Dimmesdale is constantly living with the guilt of his actions and harboring feelings of being a hypocrite and a sinner. The weight he carries is so immense he is constantly beating himself up with negative thoughts and physical beatings he endured to himself. To make matters worse, his parishioners do not know about his sin and would likely be horrified to learn he committed such a sin. Dimmesdale is faced with the ultimate dilemma; tell the truth and deal with the consequences or

To begin with, nearing his death Dimmesdale realizes that he and Hester Prynne “are not… the worst sinned in the world. There is one even worse than even the polluted priest” (150) and that is Roger Chillingworth. Roger Chillingworth is Dimmesdale’s antagonist who works hard to make Dimmesdale’s life as miserable as can be, but ironically, Chillingworth makes Dimmesdale feel better. The severity of Dimmesdale’s sin of adultery pales in comparison to Chillingworth’s sins (among many things) of betrayal, lying, and torture, and therefore allows Dimmesdale to forgive himself and embraces him with the idea that there is still a chance for the mercy of God. Additionally, Dimmesdale regains his missing “look in which hope and joy shone out” (154) with the help of Hester Prynne.

Dimmsdales sins affects his physical well-being, and his mental stability. Since he never publicly admits his sin, he has to keep his sins bottled up within him. He has no way to relieve himself of the burden of his sins, but to be shamed in public. He ultimately becomes a coward and he tortures himself . He was healthy before, but as the years go by, he becomes sickly, and he worsens his condition by abusing himself. Later on through the years, when he joins with Hester and Pearl in the forest , he becomes different, and when they decide what their plans will be, his health changes, and his energy seems as I it was back. He changes and transforms to another person. "The minister's own will, and Hester's will, and the fate that grew between them, had wrought this transformation. It was the same town as heretofore; but the same minister returned not from the forest." He changed to a new him.

The Scarlet Letter is a historical fiction novel that takes place in the early 1800’s. Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the story of an adulterer and adulteress roaming the streets of a Puritan Society where adultery is highly shamed upon. Arthur Dimmesdale’s constant punishment and emotional instability proves that sin can have a lasting effect when

The suffering Arthur is undergoing causes him to become a much more respected preacher as well as much more influential in his sermons to the public. Arthur tries so desperately to reveal his hidden immorality to the public.

The novel “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne was published in the 1850s, and takes place in the Boston, Massachusetts area during the 17th Century when Puritans were the main population. Hester Prynne, is accused of committing adultery and is forced to wear a scarlet A against her chest and care for Pearl, Her daughter who is born from the tryst. In the beginning of the novel, both Pearl and the Letter are introduced at the same time aspressed against Hester’s chest. Though she chooses to hold the child close to her and the Letter is thrust upon her, Hawthorne shows the reader how determined she is to take these symbols of sin and integrate them into her life and create her own identity.

During the seventeenth century in Boston Massachusetts, Puritanism was the common religion, and it was intertwined with every aspect of life in Boston. The leaders of the Puritan church could interpret crimes and punish those who did not follow church laws. Many of these punishments were made viewable by the public, and most of the community knew who had committed crimes against the church. In The Scarlet Letter, the main character, Hester Prynne commits the crime of adultery, which is a major offense in the eyes of the Puritan leaders and community. Hester Prynne is forced to wear a scarlet “A” on her chest and is publicly shamed and humiliated. Throughout the book, many themes are presented, but the underlying theme of The Scarlet