The Cost Of Truth In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Cost of Truth At what cost is it okay for moral judgment to be overruled so life can be lived within the domain of a lie? Is it to save a life? Self-image. Prevent the hardship of life? Perhaps to show the way to a better spiritual connection with God? Well, the obvious human question should be, what is the lie? How ‘bad’ is it for you? In his piece The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne expresses his opinion on the morality of sin and religion within the Puritan society; he writes about a pregnant adultery woman who is publicly shamed while the husband is not to be found. Hawthorne was a renowned American novelist and prominent Anti-Transcendentalist from the mid-17th. The Scarlet Letter utilizes the dynamic character of Reverend Dimmesdale to express the

Outside of Hester's prison cell is a mob of gossipers who speak on the impact of Hester's sin on Dimesdale. Unknown to them, Hester's sin had far more of an impact on the beloved minister than the congregation could realize through their scrutiny. While talking about the adultery sin of Hester, the gossipers state that “Dimmesdale, her godly pastor,” took her sin “very grievously to the heart” (Hawthorne 44). After Hester is shown and mocked upon the scaffolding, Dimmesdale is introduced to be a man of “eloquence and religious fervor” (55). Hawthorne's initial depiction of Reverend Dimmesdale is used to express who he is in the eyes of the people. Hawthorn utilizes the words “godly” and “eloquence” to describe Dimmesdale as a prominent Christ-like figure in the community. Hawthorne uses the word “godly” to depict him as the law-abiding, faithful man the people see him as. He also describes him as “eloquent” in depicting his persuasion skills that he uses to be well liked and adored by the