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Arthur Dimmesdale In The Scarlet Letter

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“Guilt is the source of sorrows, the avenging fiend that follows us behind with whips and stings.” - Nicholas Rowe. This message is shown in The Scarlet Letter, through Hawthorne’s character Dimmesdale. Dimmesdale was created by Nathaniel Hawthorne representing a weak character in many ways. One of the many weak decisions made by Hawthorne that stood out was the guilt he had built up, eating away at him causing an internal struggle if he should do right and confess or if he should let the one he loves suffer because of his actions. Hawthorne sent messages throughout this film, people must accept responsibility for their actions or suffer the consequences and the choices people make determine what they become. Although the character Arthur …show more content…

This comes to, people must accept responsibility for their actions or reap the consequences. Dimmesdale was represented as a coward by Hawthorne in many ways but one of the main ones was how he didn't confess till seven years later. When Dimmesdale goes on the scaffold, Hawthorne creates a scene that shows the sorrow Dimmesdale feels and all of the guilt that had eaten away at him for so many years finally all caught up. The choices Dimmesdale had made not only affected him but the people around him. During the time period of this film Hawthorne created this to show that the religious background had a great effect on the people around him and himself. With this choice Hawthorne made Dimmesdale do, he showed what the puritans would have done too, it wasn’t acceptable and had to face the …show more content…

Man vs. self was the main conflict in the movie The Scarlet Letter created by Hawthorne to represent the self conflict of Dimmesdale due to the choice he made. The dilemma of if he should confess or not beat him up over so many years. Seven years is how many years it took him to finally stop battling with himself with this internal sin he can’t seem to get rid of. Man vs. society was also shown in the movie by Hawthorne. The puritans during the mid 1800’s were not acceptable of the choices of Hester Prynn nor Arthur Dimmesdale. Neither of the choices Hester or Arthur made were for the better not only affect themselves but the people around

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Dimmesdale’s True Colors Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, also the father of Hester’s child, showed prominent parts of his character throughout the story. The first trait the reader becomes aware of is Dimmesdale’s cowardice. He has no intentions of revealing his sin to the public, due to how highly he is seen in the community’s eyes. Remorse, or guilt, is another term that can be associated with Dimmesdale, growing increasingly more prominent as the novel goes on. Cowardice, a lacking of bravery when facing danger, was a trait that Dimmesdale carried.

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In “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, a central theme established throughout the story is how sins negatively affect the people who commit them. There are many instances of this in the story, as two of the main characters, Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, are related to each other through a sin (adultery) and both suffer because of it. However, Prynne displays her sin publicly in the form of a scarlet letter while Dimmesdale hides it from the public in order to maintain his reputation as a respected minister. This hidden sin crushes Dimmesdale mentally and physically throughout the story, but it is in one scene in Chapter 17 that the effect of his hidden sin on him becomes especially evident. By showing the internal conflict of

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Dimmesdale had achieved a brilliant popularity in his sacred office. He won it, indeed, in great part by his sorrows. (Hawthorne 128) The guilt of his sin has eaten him alive, so much that his visage and demeanor are almost cadaverous. Dimmesdale does not confess his sin until the end of the novel because he does not want to disappoint his congregation.

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