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Who Is Arthur Dimmesdale In The Scarlet Letter

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Arthur Dimmesdale; Scarlet Letter In the Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne is an attractive woman who has jumped into a loveless marriage with a man named Roger Chillingworth. He sends her to America to live in a Boston town however, to her knowledge, he disappears. She is considered to be a widow after two years without any trace of Chillingworth, and finds true love with the Puritan minister, Arthur Dimmesdale. In their passionate affair, they conceive a child named Pearl. The town is infuriated at Hester’s sinfulness and demands to know the father, although Hester refuses to release his identity. Hester’s husband then returns under a false identity and discovers Pearl’s father is Dimmesdale. He uses this knowledge to stay in a close proximity to the poor minister and torture his already guilt-ridden mind. While Hester is branded with her infamous flaming red “A” upon her breast and alienated from everyone, Dimmesdale must suffer in silence with only his secret to keep him company. …show more content…

Puritans did not believe that acting in a moral way or doing good would earn your way into heaven. To them, God predetermines salvation, and those destined to join the Heavenly Kingdom would not commit sins. They were destined to be good and pure. It is clear to the reader that Dimmesdale is devoted to his religious beliefs, and his sermons are described as having an impact on his congregation. However, he believes that while he has taught only good things, his sin is unforgivable and indicates that he is not chosen to go to heaven, that he is

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