What is Dimmesdale’s position?
As a minister, Dimmesdale has a voice that consoles and an ability to sway audiences.
What is suspicious about Dimmsdale’s position in his debate with Chillingworth about sin?
What is suspicious about Dimmsdale's position in his debate with Chillingworth about sin? He is defending his own side without anyone realizing it.
What does Dimmesdale lie about?
Dimmesdale lies to Chillingworth, telling him that though he knows his medicine is dispensed by a loving hand, he does not need it. Then he goes to his study and furiously writes his Election Sermon.
What is the significance of the meteor to Dimmesdale and Hester’s current position in society?
What is the significance of the meteor event? It is an example of cosmic irony. Dimmesdale sees the meteoric A as confirmation that he should also wear a mark of shame while the rest of the town thinks it stands for Angel and marks Governor Winthrop's entry into Heaven.
Is Dimmesdale a priest?
Arthur Dimmesdale is a fictional character in the 1850 romance The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. A Puritan minister, he has fathered an illegitimate child, Pearl, with Hester Prynne and considers himself unable to reveal his sin.
What is ironic about the fact that Reverend Dimmesdale?
what is ironic about the fact that Reverend Dimmesdale has been given the task of urging Hester to name the father of her child? The word tremulous means "quivering" or "shaking", but it also conveys the connotation "trembling out of fear." Look at the context in which tremulous appears in paragraph 3 and 4.
What does Dimmesdale have on his chest?
Apparently, those who witnessed the minister's death cannot agree upon what exactly it was that they saw. Most say they saw on his chest a scarlet letter exactly like Hester's. To their minds, it resulted from Chillingworth's poisonous magic, from the minister's self-torture, or from his inner remorse.
What was Dimmesdale guilty of?
Guilt and Shame in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter Arthur Dimmesdale, on the other hand, is just as guilty of adultery as Hester, but he allows his guilt to remain a secret. Instead of telling the people of his vile sin, the Reverend allows it to eat away at his rotting soul.
What was Dimmesdale’s sin?
He has committed adultery with Hester Prynne. Dimmesdale is guilt-ridden because of the sin he committed with Hester.
What shocks Hester about Dimmesdale?
Hester is shocked at how bad Dimmesdale looks. She knows that his conscience is working on him and has made him sick. She realizes that he was appealing to her that night on the scaffolding to protect him from his enemy, from Roger Chillingworth.
Why is Dimmesdale a hypocrite?
Arthur Dimmesdale is regarded a hypocrite since he puts his sin of adultery out of sight and acts as if he were not the adulterer. He cannot admit what he has committed with Hester for seven years.
Why does Dimmesdale confess his sin?
Dimmesdale knew that in order to redeem, he would need to part with the person he 'violated reverence' with, his guilt could not continue with Hester because he would be corrupt. The manhood he embodied was that of a innocent soul, and confessing his sin for God proved him to be an honest man.
How is Dimmesdale selfish?
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.
Is Dimmesdale a liar?
This quote describes the disgust Dimmesdale feels because he is a liar and a hypocrite. He likes honesty and wishes he could be open and truthful, but his fear of being socially ostracized prevents him from telling the truth.
Why does Dimmesdale place his hand over his heart?
What is Dimmesdale's idosyncratic gesture? He puts his hand over his heart to "cover" up his guilt and pain for not admitting to the sin he committed.
What page does Dimmesdale reveal his chest?
Summary: Chapter 24: Conclusion Most say they saw on his chest a scarlet letter exactly like Hester's. To their minds, it resulted from Chillingworth's poisonous magic, from the minister's self-torture, or from his inner remorse.
Why does Dimmesdale reveal his sin?
Dimmesdale knew that in order to redeem, he would need to part with the person he 'violated reverence' with, his guilt could not continue with Hester because he would be corrupt. The manhood he embodied was that of a innocent soul, and confessing his sin for God proved him to be an honest man.
What sin did Dimmesdale commit?
In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale falls in love with Hester Prynne and commits adultery.
Why is Dimmesdale guilty?
“All the dread of public exposure, that had so long been the anguish of his life, had returned upon him.” This line reveals the fear that leads to Dimmesdale being unable to take responsibility for his actions, thus leading to his overwhelming guilt.
How did Dimmesdale get the A on his chest?
Apparently, those who witnessed the minister's death cannot agree upon what exactly it was that they saw. Most say they saw on his chest a scarlet letter exactly like Hester's. To their minds, it resulted from Chillingworth's poisonous magic, from the minister's self-torture, or from his inner remorse.
What shocks Hester about Dimmesdale in chapter 13?
Hester is shocked at how bad Dimmesdale looks. She knows that his conscience is working on him and has made him sick. She realizes that he was appealing to her that night on the scaffolding to protect him from his enemy, from Roger Chillingworth.
Where is hypocrisy shown in The Scarlet Letter?
In The Scarlet Letter, hypocrisy is one of the worst sins that a man can commit. Just as adultery produces a physical mark on Hester's body (the baby), hypocrisy produces a physical mark on Dimmesdale's body. And only Pearl can see through him—so, when he finally confesses, she can love him for who he is: her father.
Who committed the greatest sin in The Scarlet Letter?
In essence, there were three main sins committed in The Scarlet Letter, the sins of Hester, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. Roger Chillingworth committed the greatest sin because he let himself be ruled by hatred and the consuming desire for vengeance.
How was Dimmesdale guilty?
Dimmesdale's sin was the only thing that was keeping his ill, sickened, and tired body alive. The guilt he was feeling was the fuel for his survival, and once he revealed this sin he knew that it was the end for him. He knew that the only way for forgiveness from God was to die, and fly truthfully to heaven.
Why is Dimmesdale the worst sinner?
Throughout the novel, Chillingworth has discovered that a young minister named Dimmesdale is a Hester's lover. Dimmesdale is the worst sinner than Chillingworth because Dimmesdale doesn't have moral, he is a coward that decides to keep his secret, and he doesn't have responsibility.
In what ways does Dimmesdale punish himself?
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.
Why does Dimmesdale feel guilty?
“All the dread of public exposure, that had so long been the anguish of his life, had returned upon him.” This line reveals the fear that leads to Dimmesdale being unable to take responsibility for his actions, thus leading to his overwhelming guilt.
How does Dimmesdale feel as he holds Pearl’s hand and why?
How does Dimmesdale feel as he holds Pearl's hand and why? He is filled with a new energy as all their hands connect. He feels life pouring into him once more.
What does Dimmesdale holding his hand over his heart represent in the scarlet letter?
Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale repeatedly puts his hand over his heart which indicates and symbolizes a secret, a metaphoric scarlet letter on his own chest. This gesture is seen in the very beginning of The Scarlet Letter, when Hester stands on the scaffold in front of all the people.
Why does Dimmesdale have an A on his chest?
Most say they saw on his chest a scarlet letter exactly like Hester's. To their minds, it resulted from Chillingworth's poisonous magic, from the minister's self-torture, or from his inner remorse.