The Significant Effects of Sin in The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter is a novel, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, that is mainly about sin and the consequences that come along with it. The three main characters of this novel all commit sins that change their perspective of life. Hester Prynne committing adultery with Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth feeling pleasure by torturing Dimmesdale. Throughout the novel, Heter Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth are affected significantly by their sin and develop new traits that change them into different people.
Hester Prynne is a brave and humble woman in the novel. Throughout the novel, she keeps her character of strength when being forced to wear the scarlet letter "A" for her sin …show more content…
He has also committed this sin of adultery with Hester. "...Hester Prynne leading along little Pearl, in her scarlet garb, and pointing her forefinger, first at the scarlet letter on her bosom, and then at the clergyman's own breast" (Hawthorne 256). This connects the idea of Hester's "A" and Dimmesdale's "A", helping the reader infer that Dimmesdale's sin is also adultery. Throughout the novel, Dimmesdale holds the guilt of his sin within him to keep the rep that he has of being a minister. "he values both his social face and his immortal soul, but he cannot save one without losing the other" (Pimple paragraph 3). So, Dimmesdale is stuck between saving his mental health and saving his relationship with his people. Towards the end, Dimmesdale makes the decision of confessing his sin in his sermon, which makes his character look like a coward because he confessed it to relieve the guilt of himself. Dimmesdale does not feel guilty. "His actions are occluded by his hypocrisy. Even in his last hours he convicts himself, not of actual sin but sharing the universal sinfulness of mankind" (Donoghue …show more content…
"Hawthorne and Sin." Christianity and Literature, Vol. 52, No. 2(Winter 2003): pg. 219.
Dwight, Sheila. "Hawthorne and the Unpardonable Sin." Cengage Learning, Vol. 195, 2014.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Ticknor and Fields Houghton Mifflin Publishing Connection, February 1992
Ken, Egan Jr. "The Adulteress in the Marketplace: Hawthorne and The Scarlet Letter." Literature Resource Center, Vol. 27, No. 1, 1995: pg. 26.
Pimple, Kenneth D. " 'Subtle, but Remorseful Hypocrite.' " Dimmesdale's Moral Character." Cengage Learning,
The Scarlet Letter is a novel, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, that is mainly about sin and the consequences that come along with it. The three main characters of this novel all commit sins that change their perspective of life. Hester Prynne committing adultery with Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth feeling pleasure by torturing Dimmesdale. Throughout the novel, Heter Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth are affected significantly by their sin and develop new traits that change them into different people.
Hester Prynne is a brave and humble woman in the novel. Throughout the novel, she keeps her character of strength when being forced to wear the scarlet letter "A" for her sin …show more content…
He has also committed this sin of adultery with Hester. "...Hester Prynne leading along little Pearl, in her scarlet garb, and pointing her forefinger, first at the scarlet letter on her bosom, and then at the clergyman's own breast" (Hawthorne 256). This connects the idea of Hester's "A" and Dimmesdale's "A", helping the reader infer that Dimmesdale's sin is also adultery. Throughout the novel, Dimmesdale holds the guilt of his sin within him to keep the rep that he has of being a minister. "he values both his social face and his immortal soul, but he cannot save one without losing the other" (Pimple paragraph 3). So, Dimmesdale is stuck between saving his mental health and saving his relationship with his people. Towards the end, Dimmesdale makes the decision of confessing his sin in his sermon, which makes his character look like a coward because he confessed it to relieve the guilt of himself. Dimmesdale does not feel guilty. "His actions are occluded by his hypocrisy. Even in his last hours he convicts himself, not of actual sin but sharing the universal sinfulness of mankind" (Donoghue …show more content…
"Hawthorne and Sin." Christianity and Literature, Vol. 52, No. 2(Winter 2003): pg. 219.
Dwight, Sheila. "Hawthorne and the Unpardonable Sin." Cengage Learning, Vol. 195, 2014.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Ticknor and Fields Houghton Mifflin Publishing Connection, February 1992
Ken, Egan Jr. "The Adulteress in the Marketplace: Hawthorne and The Scarlet Letter." Literature Resource Center, Vol. 27, No. 1, 1995: pg. 26.
Pimple, Kenneth D. " 'Subtle, but Remorseful Hypocrite.' " Dimmesdale's Moral Character." Cengage Learning,