Guilt: A Festering Sore
“No guilt is forgotten so long as the conscience still knows of it.” ~ Stefan Zweig
Guilt is a natural part of the human conscience, occurring when individuals realize they have fallen short of moral standards, either in their thoughts or behavior, and experience a strong sense of remorse as a consequence of this violation. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne examines the effect of guilt on the conscience of several characters, providing insight to the psychological affects and self-recrimination. The characters Hester Prynne, Reverend Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth prove that guilt can fester in the minds of individuals and eventually take control over their actions, health and personal relationships. Hester Prynne, a new mother of an illegitimate child, is a societal outcast, ostracized because of her amoral behavior, carrying the guilt of her sin, and …show more content…
Meeting in secret with Prynne, Dimmesdale admits the depths of his shame. He reveals that, when standing at his pulpit, he has “laughed, in bitterness and agony of heart, at the contrast between what I seem and what I am! And Satan laughs at it!” (131). Dimmesdale laments that he must live a life of lies because his core values are not in line with his actions. He wishes he had been brave enough to accept the punishment for his wrongdoing rather than hide his shame. In the stillness of the forest he admits to Prynne that “happy are you, Hester, that wear the scarlet letter openly upon your bosom! Mine burns in secret” (131). His own chest literally burns due to his wound, be it self-recrimination or mutilation, and the personal hatred he has experienced for over seven years. The weight of the guilt is overwhelming as it takes a physical, mental and emotional toll on him, ruining his health and resulting in his untimely
“No guilt is forgotten so long as the conscience still knows of it.” ~ Stefan Zweig
Guilt is a natural part of the human conscience, occurring when individuals realize they have fallen short of moral standards, either in their thoughts or behavior, and experience a strong sense of remorse as a consequence of this violation. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne examines the effect of guilt on the conscience of several characters, providing insight to the psychological affects and self-recrimination. The characters Hester Prynne, Reverend Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth prove that guilt can fester in the minds of individuals and eventually take control over their actions, health and personal relationships. Hester Prynne, a new mother of an illegitimate child, is a societal outcast, ostracized because of her amoral behavior, carrying the guilt of her sin, and …show more content…
Meeting in secret with Prynne, Dimmesdale admits the depths of his shame. He reveals that, when standing at his pulpit, he has “laughed, in bitterness and agony of heart, at the contrast between what I seem and what I am! And Satan laughs at it!” (131). Dimmesdale laments that he must live a life of lies because his core values are not in line with his actions. He wishes he had been brave enough to accept the punishment for his wrongdoing rather than hide his shame. In the stillness of the forest he admits to Prynne that “happy are you, Hester, that wear the scarlet letter openly upon your bosom! Mine burns in secret” (131). His own chest literally burns due to his wound, be it self-recrimination or mutilation, and the personal hatred he has experienced for over seven years. The weight of the guilt is overwhelming as it takes a physical, mental and emotional toll on him, ruining his health and resulting in his untimely