The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaneil Hawthorne, takes place during the middle of the seventeenth century in Boston, Massachusetts and focuses in on the subject of Puritan life. The main character in the story, Hester Prynne, is a beautiful woman with strength and compassion. Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is young and handsome, but frail. Dimmesdale is a holy and philosophical man. Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s husband and town physician, is filled with sadness and anger and looks as though he is the embodiment of pure evil. Last is Pearl, Hester’s daughter. She is pretty, sweet, and very intelligent. Pearl remains a symbol of innocence throughout the novel. The entirety of the story surrounds the conflict of Hester’s sin, committing
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Arthur Dimmesdale grows weak because of his inner guilt and keeping his sin hidden. It is essentially tearing him apart from the inside. Roger Chillingworth suspects Dimmesdale to be Hester’s lover and he makes it his mission to seek revenge against him. As a result of the minister’s declining health, Chillingworth begins living with Dimmesdale in an attempt to find out if he is his wife’s secret lover and if so, cause him even more pain, although on the surface it seems he is there to help. Hawthorne conveys the idea that guilt can destroy a person, body and soul through Arthur Dimmesdale.
Hawthorne illustrates Dimmesdale’s internal destruction with his declining health. Initially, several years after Pearl’s birth, Dimmesdale begins suffering from extreme health problems and the community recognizes signs of his decay. His symptoms are described in much detail, when the author writes “His form grew emaciated; his voice, though still sweet, had a certain melancholy prophecy of decay …show more content…
Having nothing left to live for, Roger Chillingworth perishes shortly after. Hester and Pearl move to England for some time, but eventually make their way back to their small Puritan community in Massechusetts. Moreover, guilt leads to suffering and anguish, and in this case, death. Hence, it is better to be an open book filled with nothing but honesty, than to keep one’s troubles locked
Arthur Dimmesdale grows weak because of his inner guilt and keeping his sin hidden. It is essentially tearing him apart from the inside. Roger Chillingworth suspects Dimmesdale to be Hester’s lover and he makes it his mission to seek revenge against him. As a result of the minister’s declining health, Chillingworth begins living with Dimmesdale in an attempt to find out if he is his wife’s secret lover and if so, cause him even more pain, although on the surface it seems he is there to help. Hawthorne conveys the idea that guilt can destroy a person, body and soul through Arthur Dimmesdale.
Hawthorne illustrates Dimmesdale’s internal destruction with his declining health. Initially, several years after Pearl’s birth, Dimmesdale begins suffering from extreme health problems and the community recognizes signs of his decay. His symptoms are described in much detail, when the author writes “His form grew emaciated; his voice, though still sweet, had a certain melancholy prophecy of decay …show more content…
Having nothing left to live for, Roger Chillingworth perishes shortly after. Hester and Pearl move to England for some time, but eventually make their way back to their small Puritan community in Massechusetts. Moreover, guilt leads to suffering and anguish, and in this case, death. Hence, it is better to be an open book filled with nothing but honesty, than to keep one’s troubles locked