Arthur Dimmesdale In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

779 Words4 Pages
Arthur Starts With “A” In the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne there are four main characters that go through many obstacles. One of the characters who suffers greatly and undergoes major transformation is Arthur Dimmesdale. Arthur Dimmesdale is a Reverend in Boston, Massachusetts in the 1600’s. At the onset of the novel the Reverend is a well respected, admired man who delivers powerful speeches. As the story unfolds, Arthur’s character weakens as he commits a deathful sin that is not accepted in the strict Puritan society. Arthur’s character transforms over the course of the novel with noted changes in his mental and physical well being, basic aspects of his personality, and the moral code in which he lives his life. Arthur’s…show more content…
As a Reverend the community looks up to him and they love his powerful sermons. As his sermons get stronger the community believes it is because of his stronger spiritual connection with god when really it is his horrible sin in which he is trying to repent for. He is a hypocrite by committing a sin that usually results in death when he is preaching about how horrible sin is. He finally decides to confess seven years later. “People of New England!” cried he, with a voice that rose over them, high, solemn, and majestic,—yet had always a tremor through it, and sometimes a shriek, struggling up out of a fathomless depth of remorse and woe,—“ye, that have loved me!—ye, that have deemed me holy!—behold me here, the one sinner of the world! At last!—at last!—I stand upon the spot where, seven years since, I should have stood; here, with this woman, whose arm, more than the little strength wherewith I have crept hitherward, sustains me, at this dreadful moment, from grovelling down upon my face! Lo, the scarlet letter which Hester wears! Ye have all shuddered at it! Wherever her walk hath been,—wherever, so miserably burdened, she may have hoped to find repose,—it hath cast a lurid gleam of awe and horrible repugnance roundabout her. But there stood one in the midst of you, at whose brand of sin and infamy ye have not shuddered!”( Hawthore 265). After he confesses to release his sin and Pearl finally kisses
Open Document