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Character Analysis Of Reverend Dimmesdale From 'The Scarlet Letter'

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There is always a defining moment in every novel revealing how a certain character will be shown. These moments are “first” seen through the initial action of each character and then ended by their “last”. Each “first” defines how someone is seen, but there is always a turning point in each novel that changes at least one character for the better. The “last” of Reverend Dimmesdale from The Scarlet Letter shows how much he has changed since the beginning of the novel into a better, more dauntless man. At the beginning of the novel Reverend Dimmesdale acted cowardly, not being strong enough to reveal the truth of his sin thus allowing the guilt to destroy him inside out. But finally at the end of the novel he is able to come at peace with what he has done and has a few significant last actions, words, and expositions.
In chapter 23, page 234 Reverend Dimmesdale's last action is revealed to be, “With a convulsive motion he tore away the ministerial band from before his breast… Then, down he sank upon the scaffold!”. This action is filled with great power and emotion, which is able to accurately describe Dimmesdale. He is finally able to let go of his sin and diminish the excessive amount of guilt he felt from his powerful yet …show more content…

Hester is inquiring if they will be able to live their “immortal life together”, trying to figure out what could be between those two seeing that the truth was finally unveiled. Although it was shown throughout the novel of how much Dimmesdale longed to be with Hester, he realizes that they may not be able to be together forever and solemnity responds that although God is very forgiving, their sin may not allow them to have eternal happiness like they would have hoped for. This bitter action allows the author to intentionally suggest that you cannot always receive what you long for and all actions have

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According to Hawthorne, the consequence of sin is mental deterioration as represented by Reverend Dimmesdale. Dimmesdale is a priest that has committed a vile crime, although only a scanty amount of people know about it. Dimmesdale has not publically announced his sin, which in turn worsens his mental health due to guilt. Dimmesdale stood in front of the town when his past lover, Hester, was being publically humiliated and never uttered a word, only placed “his hand upon his heart” (59). The consequence of not admitting his immoral sin was ultimate guilt.

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I believe Dimmesdale did enough for forgiveness because in the end of the story, he stood on the scaffold with Hester and Pearl. In the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne in chapter 23 Hawthorne states; “Hester Prynne," cried he, with a piercing earnestness, "in the name of Him, so terrible and so merciful, who gives me grace, at this last moment, to do what--for my own heavy sin and miserable agony--I withheld myself from doing seven years ago, come hither now, and twine thy strength about me! Thy strength, Hester; but let it be guided by the will which God hath granted me! This wretched and wronged old man is opposing it with all his might!--with all his own might, and the fiend's! Come, Hester--come!

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Hawthorne uses chapter twenty-two, “The Procession”, to put all the pieces of the puzzle of the conflict together. This is where the reader remotely begins to understand how the ending of the novel will come to an end. To reveal the conclusion to the reader, Hawthorne uses rhetorical devices such as, irony, simile, and diction. To expose the irony in this chapter, Hawthorne writes of Dimmesdale’s sermon. As Dimmesdale speaks, “if the auditor listened intently, and for the purpose, he could detect the same cry of pain.”

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836 Words | 4 Pages

Humans have a tendency to conform and often neglect the potential consequences of doing so. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author introduces those consequences through a respected clergyman and sinner named Arthur Dimmesdale. Dimmesdale struggles with his guilty conscience and cowardice to confess his sin which prompts him to abide by societal rules but question himself in private. Dimmesdale’s conflict between outward conformity and inward questioning contributes to the novel’s message that everybody must confront their sins or they will fall victim to some form of retribution.

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273 Words | 2 Pages

Despite committing adultery,Hester and Dimmesdale are saved. From the second chapter to the end of the book, Hester has been making up for her sins and dealing with the consequences of her actions. Even though dimmesdale did not confess until the enfo the book, he still suffered the consequences of his sin. Dimmesdale is saved because he confesses his sin to the whole town even though it was seven years late. “At last--- at last I stand upon the spot where, seven years since, I should have stood, here, with this women….”

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1396 Words | 6 Pages

In this final action, he attempts to redeem himself by gifting what remains of his estate to Pearl. Whether this is genuine or not is completely up to the reader. However, he did do something much unlike what was expected of him. He gave what he had left to the product of sin he had been trying to correct for years. This action allows readers to see him less cut and dried; he is left up to the reader’s

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Dimsdale is reluctant to admit his sin because he has the mentality that he can never lose respect from the public however in order to gain redemption for his sins he has to sacrifice his reputation. Dimsdale is one of the main characters in Nathaniel Hawthorn’s “The Scarlet Letter” he is the minister of the puritan community in Boston and everyone in the community looks up to him. Dimsdale is the puritan minister of Boston who has a high reputation who is considered to be an important member of the community. Sin is intolerable within the puritan community and that is why Dimsdale is so conflicted when it comes to confessing his sin since he is a person that everyone looks up to.

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The two ways that sin is handled in the book are the two ways that many Christians today handle their own sin now and that is the way that Reverend Dimmesdale handled it and the way that Hester Prim handled it, and how it relates to psalms 32:3-5. The main difference between the two main characters in the story was the way that they handled sin Hester Prim let her sin be exposed, and she tried to get through it she did not run or fight or make excuses for herself, instead she just lets people say what they want to say about her and instead tries to help the poor by making them cloths. This is a good way to handle your sin but it is not the best way because from what she should have immediately turned back to god and confessed and try to learn

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Erin Joel Mrs. Janosy English 2H P 5 22 October 2015 Quote Explication Dimmesdale is trying to overcome a conflict within his own soul, defying his own religion, and choosing to do wrong by keeping his sin to himself. In a theocracy type community like Dimmesdale's, God is known as the supreme civil ruler, and a crime would be known as a sin. On the other hand, Hester’s sin was made known to the public, receiving the public shame and ridicule she deserved. During the duration of time when the public knew Dimmesdale was hiding his sin, “the agony with which this public tortured him” (Hawthorne 119).

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935 Words | 4 Pages

Instead, he climbed on the scaffold immediately in an attempt for instant relief from his persistent guilt. His plea for instant relief manifested itself in the release of “an outcry that went pealing through the night.” Finally, when Dimmesdale receives a chance to be free once and for all, he abolishes it as well as all hope of freedom from his chains of guilt. On Reverend Wilson’s way home from Governor Winthrop’s deathbed, he treads right past the scaffold upon which Dimmesdale stands. Unsurprisingly, he did not speak a word to expose his position, and Dimmesdale remained anonymous in the most public location in town.

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778 Words | 4 Pages

Dimmesdale presumes, “That my labours, and my sorrows, and my sins, and my pains, should shortly end with me, and what is earthly of them be buried in my grave, and the spiritual go with me to my eternal state, rather than that you should put your skill to the proof in my behalf.” As mentioned before, the truth always comes out and Dimmesdale is naive to think the townspeople can be deceived into having a perfect image of the Reverend. Arthur Dimmesdale is the image of a reverend on the path to heaven but, after the sins committed, becomes a man of hypocrisy. Dimmesdale believes dying with the sins would end the transgressions, however, the Reverend soon finds out that the soul and body of Dimmesdale would be tortured into revealing the

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978 Words | 4 Pages

In 1964, Lawrence Kohlberg, a psychologist introduced the idea that humans evolved through different stages of morality. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne male characters exemplify a moral development as the story unfolds. In particular, Arthur Dimmesdale’s morality differs from the beginning of the novel to the ending of the novel. His morality undergoes continuity and change by constantly changing from selfishness, social order, and social contract. Dimmesdale undergoes the morality maintaining the social order and being considerate of others to eventually being selfish and only thinks about himself.

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696 Words | 3 Pages

In chapter 17, Hester went to the forest to see if she could have a talk with Dimmesdale. When she spotted him, she asked Dimmesdale if he had found any peace. Dimmesdale replied, "None--nothing but despair!" and “Hester, I am most miserable!"

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768 Words | 4 Pages

Towards the ending of the novel

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754 Words | 4 Pages

However, at Dimmesdale’s deathbed, when he finally confesses, he realizes that his “death [is] of triumphant ignominy before the people! Had either of these agonies been wanting, I had been lost for ever!” (Hawthorne 383). Dimmesdale finally feels the freedom when he steps down to Hester’s level and onto the scaffold. By lowering his belief if his status, Dimmesdale is able to

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