8/3/2019 English 225 Scarlet Letter Essay

1/1

Zach Wallace

English 225

Mason

12/3/11

Dimmesdale claims to value loyalty in regards to his congregation andmarriages, but his actions suggest that the power of love have overcome his being.

From the beginning of The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdales passion and emotion

shines through in his sermons. On his surface, he is an emotional man and views

love as the divine source. However, underneath this embodiment of love is acowardly sinner who values reputation and fate above all else.

The role of Dimmesdale in this novel is to create a parallel to Chillingworth

and establish a love based on a fit of passion and sin. Hester Prynne flourishes in all

of the freedom she can attain and goes about her life in a hedonistic and

spontaneous way. In other words, she lives in a manner that suits the lifestyle shewants to live. She embraces the consequences of her actions and lives an isolated life

with Pearl. Dimmesdale is an active and prominent member of the society. Althoughthey both demonstrate eloquence, Dimmesdale does so in a dishonest, undeserved

way. The scene where Dimmesdale is upon the scaffold at night and the comet in the

shape of an A goes by is a contradictive parallel to the beginning of the story. It is a

clear comparison of the personalities of Hester and Dimmesdale.

Dimmesdales personality progresses throughout the story in regards to his

relationship with Hester and dealing with their sexual encounter. He is a round

character in The Scarlet Letter with a rollercoaster of emotion that eventually

leads to his suicide. Being a parishioner he is expected to strictly follow the

communitys religious laws interpreted from the bible. When Dimmesdale commits

adultery with Hester he is acting out of love and later regrets his sin, but doesntmake an effort to confess. In the first half of the book he has no intention of

confessing his wrongdoings to the community. He immerses himself in the feelings

he has for Hester and categorizes his religious practice as secondary. His need toconfess and reveal his true identity becomes more vigorous about chapter 11 of the

book. This is when he begins to torture himself both mentally and physically. Thefact that he believes this will alleviate or delay any repercussions for his sin is

evidence of his delusion. This delusion

This is stereotypical of many esteemed, religious people who have sinned and hold

their role in the place of worship higher than confession. Some of these priests,

proselytizers, and other religious figures preach that they have never sinned and

later are arrested for crimes such as pedophilia, child pornography and