Hester In The Woods Analysis

Following his encounter with Hester in the woods, Dimmesdale projects himself onto others around him in order to protect himself from his selfish fears. Dimmesdale uses Hester’s willingness to take the blame in order to separate himself from the shame of the affair. He labels Hester as fully “accountable” for all of their problems so that he doesn’t have to admit his own wrongdoings (181). The minister knowingly accepts that Hester “bore it all” and continues to let her deal with the repercussions of their joint sin, resisting moral cleansing (181). Instead of accepting his faults, he chooses to act piously, physically weakening himself. His weakened state directly mirrors his moral weakness. By not confessing his culpability in the situation,
both Dimmesdale’s guilt and fear of public knowledge slowly grow until he is unable to manage them. Dimmesdale not only allows Hester to take blame for their affair, but he compares himself to a vilified Chillingworth to feel better about his own morals. Dimmesdale only admits his own sin, but then immediately makes himself appear moral by referencing Chillingworth’s violation of “the sanctity of a human heart” (181). He himself is a sinner, but by believing “there is one worse” than him, Dimmesdale is able to somewhat excuse his own wrongdoings (181). The minister moves focus on his sin to one he deems worse in order to escape having to face the extent of his immoral act. Dimmesdale is so unable to admit his scandal, that he is willing to blame and vilify others as means of protection instead of revealing the truth.