Arthur Dimmesdale In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

Struggling alone with guilt and fear is never a just punishment for a wrong. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, the character of Arthur Dimmesdale battles his own self-deprecating thoughts resulting from his affair with the main character, Hester Prynne. Even though he is not the main character, Dimmesdale’s epic demise as the town’s most respected minister affects all of the other characters. Dimmesdale’s lack of control over his free will and his pride in his religious beliefs lead to his downfall, and eventually, his death. At the beginning of the novel, Dimmesdale is in a normal mental state. His personality traits are his soft and caring demeanor and devotion to his work as a minister. He is seen as sensitive and emotional. He is humble and speaks with wisdom, advising people on right and wrong. Dimmesdale’s values and …show more content…
Puritan beliefs dictate that one is predestined with whatever fate one receives. With this mindset, the minister believes he is condemned to death anyway; his affair with Hester could not be avoided or changed, and he will have to pay the consequences despite his regret. In modern society, we now recognize that this way of thinking is not the truth, and through free will one determines one’s fate. Dimmesdale exercises some discipline over his own free will (his affair with Hester is the result of this), but he does not want to fully take charge of his free will. In a conversation between Hester and Dimmesdale in the woods, Dimmesdale expresses that rather he does not control his free will, but God does: “The judgement of God is on me...It is too mighty for me to struggle with!” (Chapter 17). Dimmesdale’s refusal to take charge of his free will is how the author conveys that religious beliefs should not hinder one’s ability to achieve real happiness and satisfaction. Not doing what he truly wanted to do with his life is part of what caused Dimmesdale’s