Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale and Purification Through Death in Hawthornes Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Scarlet garner Dimmesdale Purification Through Death Although Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter is in the main the story of an adulteress atoning for her sin and moderate the insignia which brings torment to her spirit, the request of the spouse in her sin, Arthur Dimmesdale, is no less important and even more disquietful. His quest, apparently phrased, is to glorify God through his priesthood and expiate his sin of adultery - to that his soul - while protecting his reputation. To do so, he tries to continue daytime by day to do the work of the Lord which he so loves, while relegating to the darkest, most secret recesses of his heart the crime which he so hates. Only in private does he torture himself for both(prenominal) his original sin and his continued deceit. He nearly fails in his quest to be a holy man, as the horrific deed that he committed nearly kills him through self-hate and illness of spirit. Eventually, however, he succeeds in conquering his fears o f humiliation and stands triumphant, publicly repenting for his misdeeds and dying clean of soul. It is not known until nearly into The Scarlet Letter that Arthur Dimmesdale is Hester Prynnes lover, but by this point, his conscience has already begun inflicting a woeful penalty on his spirit His form grew hard up his voice...had a certain melancholy prophecy of decay in it he was often observed...to put his hand over his heart with...paleness, indicative of pain (106). Although his reputation is flawless and his parishioners believe that through death, he is to be called to a higher plane of existence, Dimmesdale says with what is believed to be humility that his looming death is because of his own inappropriateness to perform his mission here on earth (106). In retrospect, this attach the beginning of a critical and fatal duality of Dimmesdales tone the public believes he is a saint, while Dimmesdale knows himself the vilest sinner. His refusal to confess his misdeed single c ompounds his guilt, which is symbolized by his rapidly deteriorating physical condition. However, it remains his strategy to hide his sin, permit it fester in the dark. It is at this point that Roger Chillingworth, physician and Hester Prynnes husband, comes into Dimmesdales life. Chillingworths duty is to administer medical treatment to the ailing clergyman. In doing so, however, he comes to notice a strange quality to Dimmesdales timbre that leads him to suspicion.