Who Is Dimmesdale's Punishment In The Scarlet Letter

In 1630, the Puritans came to America and began a theocratic government with the hope of reforming the Church of England. Their politics were based on the citizens’ religion and the government was run by religious figures. The Puritans believed that they needed to abide by God’s law; thus, those who sinned were publicly and harshly punished. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter, Arthur Dimmesdale, a revered minister, and Hester Prynne, a common townsperson, commit the sin of adultery. While Hester is forced to publicly wear a scarlet letter A as her punishment, Dimmesdale refuses to reveal his sin. He instead continues to perform his duties as the town’s well respected minister. Hester moves away from the grasp of the townspeople

A strong reputation is an important component of Puritan society, and unlike a common townsperson such as Hester, Dimmesdale has more to lose because of his high stature. When the townspeople discovered Hester’s transgressions, she was punished and humiliated in front of the town. Dimmesdale believes if they learn the truth about him they will no longer see him as a respected minister but rather a sinner like Hester. Thus, Dimmesdale is faced with a dilemma: confess his sin and risk losing his status as a respected minister or maintain his reputation at the risk of having to deal with his overwhelming guilt. This internal conflict is a catalyst for the guilt that resides in Dimmesdale. Without realizing it, he has subjected himself to further internal shame; by deceiving the townspeople and allowing Hester to be punished for their sins alone, he lets his guilt to control him. “His inward trouble drove him to practices, more in accordance with the old, corrupted faith of Rome, than with the better light of the church in which he had been born and bred. In Mr. Dimmesdale's secret closet, under lock and key, there was a blood scourge” (136). Since Dimmesdale does not admit his sins to the townspeople, he attempts to relieve his guilt by physically torturing and

It is important to “‘[b]e true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait by which the worst may be inferred’” (246). Unlike Hester who shows the world her worst during her ignominy, Dimmesdale deceives the townspeople. The Puritans stated that all people sinned, yet they still actively punished those whose sins were revealed. While they left England to escape religious persecution, they continued to persecute those who practiced a different religion. The Puritans were hypocrites. The novel explores this hypocrisy and the idea that humans are sinful, but one sin does not define them. It further explores the nature of sin, and that regardless of the sin itself, the truth will ultimately be exposed. It becomes clear that Dimmesdale should reveal his sin before it has the power to destroy him. Hester’s husband, Roger Chillingworth, sought to destroy Dimmesdale after discovering his involvement with Hester. He succeeds until Dimmesdale confesses his sins to the town. When Dimmesdale finally confesses, “[o]ld Roger Chillingworth kneeled down next to him, his face blank and dull, as though the life had drained out of it. ‘Thou hast escaped me!’ he repeated more than once” (242). When Dimmesdale finally frees himself, Chillingworth can no longer torture him. If Dimmesdale had been honest from the