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- In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale experience suffering differently due to their reactions to their shared sin of adultery. Dimmesdale's concealed guilt leads to intense psychological torment and eventual death, as he struggles with hypocrisy and fear of public disgrace.
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Oct 4, 2024 · Why does Dimmesdale suffer more than Hester in The Scarlet Letter? The Reverend Dimmesdale is central to Hawthorne's novel, exemplifying the moral stated in Chapter XXIV: "Be true!
The relationship between Dimmesdale and Hester in The Scarlet Letter has been analyzed extensively at length by literary scholars. The two characters’ connection is handled through symbolism, which helps to portray the nature of their relationship.
Shy, retiring, and well loved and respected by his public, Dimmesdale is too frightened and selfish to reveal his sin and bear the burden of punishment with Hester. Yet at the same time, Dimmesdale secretly punishes himself for his sin by fasting and whipping himself.
How does Hester Prynne’s reputation change in the course of the novel? What makes Hester and Reverend Dimmesdale finally feel hope about their future? Why does Hester choose the forest to meet Dimmesdale and Chillingworth?
Dimmesdale asks Hester who Chillingworth really is, because the man occasions in him what he calls “a nameless horror.” But Hester, sworn to secrecy, cannot reveal her husband’s identity. Pearl says that she knows, but when she speaks into the minister’s ear, she pronounces mere childish gibberish.
This news causes a “dark transfiguration” in Dimmesdale, and he begins to condemn Hester, blaming her for his suffering. Hester, unable to bear his harsh words, pulls him to her chest and buries his face in the scarlet letter as she begs his pardon.
For Dimmesdale, however, his effectiveness betrays his desire to confess. The more he suffers, the better his sermons become. The more he whips himself, the more eloquent he is on Sunday and the more his congregation worships his words.
