Guilt In The Scarlett Letter
Topic 2
Throughout the novel, The Scarlett letter, the theme that “the punishment imposed on us by others may not be as destructive as the guilt we impose on ourselves” is shown a lot through some characters, especially Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. As the book goes along, we find out that Reverend Dimmesdale is Hester’s lover. Although the town people are not aware of this, the guilt he has inside him is much bigger than any punishment and so he begins to torture himself physically.
As the story commences, we are acknowledgeable of Hester’s sin, but we are left with the suspense of who her lover is. The story plot continues and so does the information. First, we are introduced to two of the main characters in the story, Roger Chillingworth …show more content…
His struggles allow him to empathize with human weakness and he thus addresses “the whole human brotherhood in the heart’s native language.” Although the reverend deeply yearns to confess the truth of his sin to his parishioners, he cannot bring himself to do so. As a result, his self-probing keeps him up at night and he even sees visions. In one vision, he sees Hester and “little Pearl in her scarlet garb.” Hester points “her forefinger, first at the scarlet letter on her bosom, and then at the clergyman’s own breast.” The minister understands that he is delusional, but his psychological tumult leads him to assign great meaning to his delusions. Even the Bible offers him little support. Unable to unburden himself of the guilt deriving from his sin, he begins to believe that “the whole universe is false, . . . it shrinks to nothing within his grasp.” Dimmesdale begins to torture himself physically: he scourges himself with a whip, he fasts, and he holds extended vigils, during which he stays awake throughout the night meditating upon his sin. During one of these vigils, Dimmesdale seizes on an idea for what he believes may be a remedy to his pain. He decides to hold a vigil on the scaffold where, years before, Hester suffered for her sin. Hester’s sin is exposed to everyone and so she doesn’t really have to deal with
Throughout the novel, The Scarlett letter, the theme that “the punishment imposed on us by others may not be as destructive as the guilt we impose on ourselves” is shown a lot through some characters, especially Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. As the book goes along, we find out that Reverend Dimmesdale is Hester’s lover. Although the town people are not aware of this, the guilt he has inside him is much bigger than any punishment and so he begins to torture himself physically.
As the story commences, we are acknowledgeable of Hester’s sin, but we are left with the suspense of who her lover is. The story plot continues and so does the information. First, we are introduced to two of the main characters in the story, Roger Chillingworth …show more content…
His struggles allow him to empathize with human weakness and he thus addresses “the whole human brotherhood in the heart’s native language.” Although the reverend deeply yearns to confess the truth of his sin to his parishioners, he cannot bring himself to do so. As a result, his self-probing keeps him up at night and he even sees visions. In one vision, he sees Hester and “little Pearl in her scarlet garb.” Hester points “her forefinger, first at the scarlet letter on her bosom, and then at the clergyman’s own breast.” The minister understands that he is delusional, but his psychological tumult leads him to assign great meaning to his delusions. Even the Bible offers him little support. Unable to unburden himself of the guilt deriving from his sin, he begins to believe that “the whole universe is false, . . . it shrinks to nothing within his grasp.” Dimmesdale begins to torture himself physically: he scourges himself with a whip, he fasts, and he holds extended vigils, during which he stays awake throughout the night meditating upon his sin. During one of these vigils, Dimmesdale seizes on an idea for what he believes may be a remedy to his pain. He decides to hold a vigil on the scaffold where, years before, Hester suffered for her sin. Hester’s sin is exposed to everyone and so she doesn’t really have to deal with