Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale and Hester’s Quest for Identity in Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter

He suffers from extreme guilt because of the sin he committed with Hester. His place in society prevents him from confessing; he keeps the sin a secret. He distances himself from everyone only so that he would not feel the pressure into confessing, this leads to him being emotionally isolated. When Roger Chillingworth talks to Dimmesdale about his troubles, Dimmesdale feels as if he is being drawn close to a confession and leaves the scene out of fright. He says, “But who art thou, that meddlest in this matter?—that dares thrust himself between the sufferer and his God?” (113). Dimmesdale is afraid that Chillingworth is going to discover his sin and thus decides to leave. Although Dimmesdale succeeds in hiding his sin from Chillingworth, he still feels the need to end his priestly duties because he is not the man everyone thinks he is. “‘I have laughed, in bitterness and agony of heart, at the contrast between what I seem and what I am! And Satan laughs at it!’” (159). All the townspeople revere Dimmesdale and act upon his every word, this makes Dimmesdale realize that revealing his sin will not only destroy his image. He continues to hide it and his feelings from the entire town, leaving him deserted with his emotions. His isolation leads to pangs of pain that only he understands. He reaches for his heart because he felt a pain that no one else knew of. His

Hawthorne's Hester Prynne is the underdog protagonist that the reader cannot help but want to succeed. She is flawed but her flaws are outshone by her good heart and spirit. This shamed and humiliated woman is the one the reader, with the help of Hawthorne’s descriptions, wants to support. This sinful woman, with a child from wedlock, a diabolical “husband”, and a secretive lover is the motivating force that drives the reader to continue on with The Scarlet Letter. The language, descriptions, and plot of The Scarlet Letter show that Hawthorne believes the reader should look past gender stereotypes because not everything is what is

In this short excerpt from The Scarlet Letter describing the meeting of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, the author—without the use of any dialogue—details their mental states and his attitudes towards them. Mainly through the use of literary devices such as metaphor, simile, and antithesis, the author successfully compares the mental states of the two characters and subtly includes his own attitudes towards them.

In the beginning of the novel in "The Market Place," Dimmesdale urges Hester to reveal him as Pearl's father because he could not bring himself to say it himself. Despite the extreme guilt displayed on the scaffold at night with Hester and Pearl, Dimmesdale is not able to bear himself to face his sin in public. Even in "The Revelation of the Scarlet Letter" he does not directly confess, but drops obvious hints that the Puritan could not pay attention to the world around them and only see what they want to see. The highly respected reverend is considered the most sacred in the society and for someone like him to commit such a sin would devastate the people and result in complete turmoil. Not only does the reaction of the society play in the mind of Dimmesdale, he also has personal reasons as well. "She thought of the dim forest, with its little dell of solitude, and love, and anguish, and the mossy tree-trunk, where, sitting hand in hand, they had mingled their sad and passionate talk with the melancholy murmur of the brook. How deeply had they known each other then! And was this the man? She hardly knew him now!" describes how two-faced Dimmesdale

In his work “On the Scarlet Letter,” D.H. Lawrence addresses the controversial character of Hester Prynne. He is just one of many critics who have analyzed Nathaniel Hawthorne’s fictional character, where some look to her as a hero and others blatantly shame her for her sin. Lawrence makes up the latter of this crowd, and is able to prove his case in a very meaningful manner. The critic believes that Hawthorne sugarcoats Hester’s image, and tries to make it look as if she is the victim of the tale. Disregarding this sympathy, he addresses the root cause of her sin rather than its consequences. As he writes, he uses a multitude of literary techniques to help convince readers of Hester’s seemingly evil character, using descriptive diction, a

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne presents the reader with the harsh, life changing conflicts of three Puritan characters during the 17th century. Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Robert Chillingworth must endure their different, yet surprisingly similar struggles as the novel progresses. Despite their similarities, Hawthorne shows these individuals deal with their conflicts differently, and in the end, only one prevails. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s intricately critical diction helps determine his didactic tone; during the course of The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne reveals that happiness can be harnessed through one’s perseverance.

All of the major characters in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne are dynamic and go through some form of character development. Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, who are at the forefront of the central conflict in the plot of the novel, are no exception. While their respective evolutions in character were noticeably different, each was emphasized by the three scaffold scenes. The differences of Hester and Dimmesdale’s respective character developments are highlighted and emphasized by the three scaffold scenes in the novel.

TRUTH-We can not escape the truth it is better to face the truth head on and deal with it.

Therefore Dimmesdale's sin was so crucial because how can you be a priest but you slept with another man wife, you suppose to lead by example.I think it was so harsh and the greatest sin because chillingworth and dimmesdale was kind of cool and you wouldn't do your boy like that. Dimmesdale was wrong because it took him a long time to confess his sin, and by that it made Hester suffer more of criticism, should have owned up like a man. Dimmesdale's sin was so private and he never wanted Hester to tell anyone.When he was suppose to take the chance to confess he just hide by the guilt he have in him.

In the fictional novel The Scarlet Letter, the contrast between public and private truth is made quite clear. The three main characters of this book make perfect examples of this overarching theme. The characters in this book are the pastor Mr. Dimmesdale, the doctor Roger Chillingworth, and the adulteress Hester Prynne. First, Mr. Dimmesdale, who seems like devout clergyman to the public, has a big secret that could get him killed if it were made known. Next, Roger Chillingworth, a harmless doctor in the eyes of the public, is actually a man on an evil and vengeful mission. Finally, Hester Prynne’s public truth is that she is unimportant outcast while in private the complete opposite is true. In conclusion, Mr. Dimmesdale, Roger Chillingworth, and Hester Prynne all are prime examples of the theme, public versus private truth, that Hawthorne tries to convey in The Scarlet Letter.

Are Hester and Dimmesdale forgiven? This is a question that is asked by many people that have read the book, there are many things that take clue to both sides, were they forgiven by god? Or not? My side of the argument is that they were indeed forgiven for their sins, and that they have shown to god that they are worthy of being accepted into heaven. There are many things that prove that this is valid, some things more subtle than others.

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s tragic novel The Scarlet Letter seizes the joyless sorrow of Hester Prynne’s isolation and alienation from self and society by utilizing visual imagery and selective diction.

In the Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne asserts that Puritan society judges an individual largely from their exterior. Hawthorne substantiates his argument by contrasting the interior emotions and exterior visages of several characters, particularly Hester Prynne, through the use of symbolism, contrasting diction, and juxtaposition. By the contradictory existence of Hester's marble exterior and her inner emotional turmoil, portrayed by the symbol of Pearl, Hawthorne’s purpose is to juxtapose the laws of Puritan society with the sentiments of nature. The author evokes an contemplative tone for the reader.

As American-British novelist Mark Lawrence once said, “We’re built of contradictions, all of us. It’s those opposing forces that give us strength, like an arch, each block pressing the next”. The aforementioned contradictions are what lead to conflicts, and in turn growth and acceptance. Nathaniel Hawthorne, in his revolutionary classic The Scarlet Letter, delves into the conflicts that the brave, yet infamous Hester Prynne has to overcome. As Hawthorne unfolds the unfortunate tragedy of Hester and her mysterious lover, the battles Hester has to face are multiple external and internal stimuli that bring about the growth of Hester as a character. The onerous obstacles that Hester must face through her life wear her out mentally, but only then can she truly grow and accept who she is.

Ironically, Dimmesdale says it would be best for her to reveal the sinner now if front of everyone instead of having that man suffer for years to come with the burden of his sin. This is exactly what happens to Dimmesdale himself in the forthcoming of the story. Although Dimmesdale pleads for Hester to speak the truth, she refuses to. Hester is forcing her will upon Dimmesdale at this moment telling him that he