Consequently, Arthur Dimmesdale is the cause of Hester Prynne's shame for he is the man whom Hester loves. No one knows he is the father of Pearl, Hester won't say and he isn't strong enough to speak up. He struggles with this knowledge that Hester is being punished and not him. The only truth that continued to give Mr. Dimmesdale a real existence on this earth was the anguish in his inmost soul, and the undissembled expression of it in his aspect, (Hawthorne 142). Being a minister of God the citizens look up to him, and he feels guilty about his hidden sin. So guilty, he physically harms himself and makes himself sick. Numerous times he tries to tell the truth but can't. Arthur whips himself as punishment. In Mr. Dimmesdale’s secret closet, under lock and key, there was a bloody scourge, (Hawthorne 141). …show more content…
He feels he shouldn't be a minister or have people look up to him. On the last day of his life he sees Hester in the woods, they talk and make a plan to runaway together. Leaving, Hester, Dimmesdale feels a million times better. The excitement of Mr. Dimmesdale’s feelings as he returned from his interview with Hester lent him unaccustomed physical energy, (Hawthorne 204). That night he writes his speech to step down as a minister. Something happens as he gives his sermon, something just snaps in him. As he walks out of the church he calls out for Hester, Arthur asks her and Pearl to stand on the scaffold with him. There in front of everyone he confesses his sin, and there he dies. No one ever really believed that Pearl was his child. This just goes to show that sometimes you fall from the pedestal while others are held so high they can “never” fall. In the end Arthur is still loved while Hester will forever be condemned to wear the Scarlet A. Real people have reputations too not just characters in a