Dimmesdale’s silence was crucial in the novel. He was silent for 7 years. It took Dimmesdale 7 years to speak up. He finally spoke on the second scaffold scene in the novel (Elbert, 235). He was completely alone on the scaffold in the late hours of the night. Another example of his lack of courage. After 7 years the most he could do was confess on the scaffold, where Hester stood 7 years earlier and confess out loud for the first time. He stands alone on the scaffold until Hester and Pearl join him moments later. Pearl asks Dimmesdale the difficult questions that up until this point he has been unable to answer. She asks him when “will he reveal his connection to them” when will he stand on the scaffold in front of everyone with Hester and
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The forest scene in Chapters 16 through 18 is a prime example of the Ministers weak traits. After 7 years Dimmesdale and Hester along with Pearl are alone in the forest, free to converse. At this time, Dimmesdale pours his heart out to Hester; he speaks to Hester about how miserable he’s been for the last 7 years and he goes as far as to say that he envies her public shame and wishes he had just one friend who recognized him for who he really was (Pimple, 266). “ Happy are you Hester, that wear the scarlet letter openly upon you bosom! Mine burns in secret! ...Had I one friend, -or were it my worst enemy! ...I could daily betake my self.” (Hawthorne, 171). Several times throughout the conversation, in the forest Dimmesdale displays his weakness by asking questions that require Hester to say what he is thinking, without him actually saying it out loud. In the first part of the conversation he allows Hester to unburden herself, knowing that in the past 7 years Hester has not spoken about the sin she committed and has prided herself in keeping quiet about the sin. She has not mentioned anything to anyone about the sin, Dimmesdale, or Chillingworth. She is a woman of her word. He sets the conversation up and allows her to
The forest scene in Chapters 16 through 18 is a prime example of the Ministers weak traits. After 7 years Dimmesdale and Hester along with Pearl are alone in the forest, free to converse. At this time, Dimmesdale pours his heart out to Hester; he speaks to Hester about how miserable he’s been for the last 7 years and he goes as far as to say that he envies her public shame and wishes he had just one friend who recognized him for who he really was (Pimple, 266). “ Happy are you Hester, that wear the scarlet letter openly upon you bosom! Mine burns in secret! ...Had I one friend, -or were it my worst enemy! ...I could daily betake my self.” (Hawthorne, 171). Several times throughout the conversation, in the forest Dimmesdale displays his weakness by asking questions that require Hester to say what he is thinking, without him actually saying it out loud. In the first part of the conversation he allows Hester to unburden herself, knowing that in the past 7 years Hester has not spoken about the sin she committed and has prided herself in keeping quiet about the sin. She has not mentioned anything to anyone about the sin, Dimmesdale, or Chillingworth. She is a woman of her word. He sets the conversation up and allows her to