Arthur Dimmesdale’s Guilt and Hypocrisy Essay

In Nathaniel Hawthornes gripping tale, The Scarlet Letter, a adore Puritan minister suffers from white-livered crime and hypocrisy after he commits adultery in this novel staged in the cardinalteenth century. Arthur Dimmesdale, who hides himself in the shame of his lover, Hester Prynne, protects his reputation among the Puritan tidy sum. The hold, a state-supported symbol of disgrace, contrasts with the diplomatic ministers silent sin of adultery. When Hester became a symbol of sin among the people and wore the scarlet letter as punishment, Dimmesdale bears a evildoers dissemble mark in his heart. As a go away of his concealed sin, Dimmesdale suffers from guilt and hypocrisy. Over the course of the three scaffold scenes, Dimmesdale changes from cowardly guilt and hypocrisy, to dread(a) guilt and hypocrisy, and ultimately to repentant hope.In the first scaffold scene, Dimmesdale is apprised of his guilt and hypocrisy when he questions his lover, Hester Prynne, further i s too cowardly to scab his sin. Questioning the adulteress from a balcony alongside the spiritual and political leading of the Puritan colony, the author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, correlates Dimmesdales elevated position among the Puritan colony and shows Dimmesdales reputation at stake. Placing pressure on the young woman, Dimmesdale pleads, Be non silent from any misinterpreted pity and tenderness for him for believe me, Hester, though he were to step down from a high place and bear there beside thee, on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so, than to hide a fineable heart through life.1 Wordlessly relieved by her silence, Dimmesdale cowardly withheld his sin from the public.The significance of Dimmesdales cowardice parallels with the shame and concern of the scaffold and the mockery it brings. Seven eld later, in the heartbeat scaffold scene, Dimmesdale is desperate to confess because his guilt and hypocrisy have only increased, but he manages only a cowardly private re hearsal of his confession. In the still of the night, Dimmesdale desperately climbed the scaffold and shrieked aloud, It is done2 It was not so. Shrieking aloud like those suffering souls who turn away from the stage of God, Dimmesdale felt little reserve from the iron chains of guilt and hypocrisy. relish to free his guilty soul, Dimmesdale stood on the scaffold imagining Hesters disgrace. Illustrating his inner conflicts, Dimmesdale had verbalised himself by screaming aloud. Immediate horror encompassed him because he is afraid of being discovered by the town. Alone in the abyss of darkness, upon the pedestal of shame, Dimmesdale undercoat little relief in his private confession in the second scaffold scene.Finally, a few days later, Dimmesdale confesses his sin publicly in the third scaffold scene, showing his repentance and thereby finding relief from guilt and hypocrisy. Allowing his sin to fester in his heart for over 7 years, Dimmesdale, now a dying man from sin, decid ed to ascend the scaffold. Dimmesdale, spirit that he, a dying man, sought mercy and forgiveness, and climbed the pedestal in guilty remorse. Ye that have loved meye, that have deemed me holybehold me here, the one sinner of the world At last I stand upon the spot where seven years since, I should have stood3 Beckoning Hester and their child, Pearl, to his side, Dimmesdales voice strengthened. As he confesses, the people recognized Dimmesdale bore the same stigma that marked Hester. Dimmesdale asks for forgiveness, therefore completing his necessary duty to receive the benefit of save grace and hope and releasing himself from the devils clutches.A spectacular subject, Dimmesdale changes through the course of three scaffold scenes as a result of his hidden sins. Arthur Dimmesdale acknowledges his sin in the last scaffold scene as he realizes his cowardice when Hester is punished and acknowledges his sufferings caused by his hidden sins seven years later. Driven by the realization that his offences dictate his life, Dimmesdales sins choked him from a deeper spiritual life. At first without success, Arthur Dimmesdale tried to free himself, but doesnt do so until the third scaffold scene when he finally confesses. In conclusion, Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author of The Scarlet Letter, reminds the reader to be wary of cowardly guilt and hypocrisy as demonstrated in Arthur Dimmesdales character Be true Be true Be true betoken freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst whitethorn be inferred.4 Free of guilt and hypocrisy in his public confession, Dimmesdale died in hope of Gods mercy.1-4 Nathaniel Hawthorne, the Scarlet Letter (Dover miserliness Study Edition The Complete Work + Comprehensive Study demand Copyright 2009 by Dover Publications) p. 47, p. 102, p. 127, p. 174Copyright 2013. All Rights Reserved. This work belongs to Ashlyn R. doubting Thomas and may not be reproduced without consent. If found plagiarizing and/or using th is work, you go forth be prosecuted. This is only to be used as inspiration, and not taken as someone elses own work.