Hester‚ Dimmesdale‚ and Chillingworth‚ one can obtain a better understanding of what Hawthorne was trying to impress upon his readers. The first theme expressed in The Scarlet Letter is that even well meaning deceptions and secrets can lead to destruction. Dimmesdale is a prime example of this; he meant well by concealing his secret relationship with Hester‚ however‚ keeping it bound up was deteriorating his health. Over the course of the book this fact is made to stand out by Dimmesdale’s
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Hester Prynne’s husband. He is a physician‚ but he is not your ordinary friendly doctor. Chillingworth works for "the Black Man" and tortures what we learn later to be Hester’s "baby daddy"‚ who is also a minister for the local church‚ Reverend Dimmesdale. Your hatred doesn’t develop after reading the first chapter. Your opinion is formed steadily‚ and your anger grows more intensely. Chillingworth is the most hated character in the Scarlet Letter because he’s blind‚ has control issues‚ and is revengeful
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embroider onto all of her clothing symbolized not only her sin‚ but the A also held meaning for other characters. It represented the guilt of the man with whom Hester committed adultery: Reverend Dimmesdale. Hester never revealed his identity to the town‚ and Dimmesdale felt as if he could not confess his sin. Dimmesdale was consumed with penitence‚ marking himself with an A of his own. Pearl‚ Hester’s daughter‚ was another character who found meaning in the scarlet letter‚ however hers was much different
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sinner means not only enjoying and accepting sin‚ but also feeling no remorse or guilt and not even having to suffer. For that reason‚ Chillingworth is not only the biggest sinner but genuinely evil. And for the same reason‚ neither Hester nor Dimmesdale fit as the biggest sinner‚ due to the guilt they each endure‚ the amount they suffer‚ and the attempts made towards repentance. Throughout the story‚ Chillingworth’s thirst for revenge drives him mad‚ his personality progressively souring to the
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of severe loneliness and seclusion. This‚ therefore‚ further adds to the overall gloomy and cynical atmosphere of the work. Isolation and alienation‚ two forms of torturous estrangement‚ are experienced by the key figures‚ Hester Prynne‚ Arthur Dimmesdale‚ and Roger Chillingworth‚ each due to different situations and to various degrees. Overall‚ The Scarlet Letter is primarily concerned with the thoughts and feelings of Hester Prynne. Hester‚ being an outcast of society‚ experiences the most evident
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scarlet letter and it shows how Pearl seemed to know the significance of the letter as an infant. While Hawthorne shows how truth revealed itself to Hester he shows a different way that truth was revealed to Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. At the beginning of the novel Dimmesdale seems to be doing a good job of keeping his secret to the whole town who respects him immensely. Although in the first chapter
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consequences? Secondly‚ what must a person consider in deciding whether to confess or not? The novel truly leaves it up to the reader to decide but based on the occurrences throughout the book‚ the answer‚ at least to the first question‚ seems clear. Dimmesdale‚ a preacher‚ chose to withhold his secret until he could no longer bare it. Unfortunately‚ by this time‚ it was too late and the weight of his guilt in committing adultery combined with the torment he endured by way of Chillingworth collapsed on
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Hester feels that she is to blame for Dimmesdale’s poor condition because while Dimmesdale has been torturing himself over his secret and slowly killing himself‚ Hester just sat back and witnessed it all and did not help in comforting him. c. Why does Hester pity Chillingworth? It is concretely stated in the text that‚ Hester pities Chillingworth “for the hatred that has transformed
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conflicts‚ which hamper the well being of the main characters. Internal conflicts exist only in one’s mind or conscience. Such as is the case of Reverend Dimmesdale. Reverend Dimmesdale finds himself torn between his lover and his congregation. The Reverend torments himself daily on whether or not to admit his sins with Hester. On the one hand‚ Dimmesdale has an obligation to be with his lover‚ but on the other hand‚ he does not want to face the judgment of his peers and his congregation. Similarly is
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it describes Roger Chillingworth’s evil attitude toward Arthur Dimmesdale‚ who is in love with Hester Prynne. When Dimmesdale falls into a deep sleep at noon-day‚ Chillingworth comes into the room and look Dimmesdale’s hidden chest. Chillingworth is known as an intelligent and warm physician in the community‚ however‚ his mind is totally changed because of anger against the adultery between Hester and Dimmesdale. Although Dimmesdale mostly attempts to hide from Chillingworth one of his feelings
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