Fidelity In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

For the past few weeks, I have learned a lot from our mandatory reading of the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and have come to the conclusion that is much more than just a tale written to satisfy the reader’s hunger for a good scandal. Littered among chunks of romanticized descriptions of foliage and drab Puritan garments lie three very important messages emphasizing the importance of fidelity, duty, and courageousness to the human soul, all of which are still relevant to us today, and all with the same consequence of gut-wrenching guilt should they fail to be implemented. Fidelity is the most evident lesson that can be found in this novel. The story of Hester Prynne is one that eventually sparks sympathy in the
Hester, of course, isn’t the only one burdened with an extreme feeling of guilt emphasized by a fear of god, as it takes two to engage in sexual misconduct. Arthur Dimmesdale has his fair share of guilt as a consequence of his infedility, but rather than Pearl being a constant reminder of his sin, the people he is delivering sermons to do the deed just as well. Dimmesdale is overwhelmed by a feeling of sorrow toward the middle of the novel (chapter 11, page 95, paragraph 1), knowing how highly the townspeople think of him and how unaware they are of his adultery with Hester and the scarlet letter that he, too, wears on his chest hidden beneath his vest. Dimmesdale is also driven to madness by this fact, eventually depriving himself of adequate food and rest and even whipping himself as a physical punishment for his own wrong-doings (chapter 11, page 96, paragraph 2), drawing the same amount of sympathy from the reader (if not more). Fidelity is still important even in
To be brave is what can send some up the final rung on the latter of success or push them back down to the bottom where they started as if they have never made progress at all. Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale embody bravery well. Hester is extremely courageous to stay in the town even after her trial and live up to her duties as Pearl’s mother. She is so brave for being able to take such a devastating experience in her life and learn from it. When Chillingworth threatens sets out for revenge on Dimmesdale, despite whatever fears she may have of what Chillingworth will do to her if she reveals the secret about his identity as Roger Prynne, she doesn’t want Dimmesdale to suffer any longer and goes to the forest to tell Dimmesdale of Chillingworth’s new identity anyways (chapter 17, page 149, paragraph 3). And even still Hester exhibits bravery when she sees this as a chance for a new beginning rather than a death sentence for them both. She encourages Arthur to go back to England with her and their daughter, rather than to sit around and wait to be killed by Roger (chapter 17, page 154). Dimmesdale also displays a great deal of bravery when he stands on the scaffold on which Hester and Pearl are forced to stand and calls out to them, finally owning up to having committed adultery with Hester and being the father of Pearl (chapter 22, page 207, paragraph 2). Bravery is crucial to our character in modern day.