What is seen on Dimmesdale’s chest?
The red mark on Dimmesdale's chest represents the same thing Hester's scarlet letter did. The red mark on Dimmesdale's chest represents adultery in the beginning, guilt in the middle, and pain and death in the end. The stressor that made Dimmesdale feel worse was Hester's first husband Chillingworth.
What does Chillingworth find on Dimmesdale’s chest?
A few days later, as Dimmesdale sleeps, Chillingworth sneaks up to him and pushes aside his shirt, where he sees something on Dimmesdale's chest that causes him to rejoice. He now knows that Dimmesdale is Hester's partner in adultery and Pearl's father.
Why does Dimmesdale put 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. He's trying to hold himself back from not exposing himself.
What is under Dimmesdale’s shirt?
But somehow, he can never get Dimmesdale to confess what's bothering him. Eventually, he manages to get a glimpse of Dimmesdale's chest under his shirt, and he's profoundly satisfied by what he sees over Dimmesdale's heart—we later learn it's a scarlet A like the one over Hester's chest.
What are the four theories from the townspeople of what was seen on Dimmesdale’s chest?
Terms in this set (5) The theories include that the mark is the result of Dimmesdale's self-torture; the mark is a result of Chillingworth's poisonous drugs; and that it is the effect of remorse, "gnawing from the inmost heart."
Does Chillingworth poison Dimmesdale?
In Nathaniel Hawthorne's “The Scarlet Letter”, Chillingworth is guilty of Dimmesdale's death. For one he tries to poison Dimmesdale with some medicine, he makes him suffer mentally, and he tortures him for it all and tries to make him feel guilty for all that he's done.
Why doesn’t Hawthorne clearly explain what was on Dimmesdale’s chest?
Why doesn't Hawthorne clearly explain what is on Dimmesdale's chest? Hawthorne is vague in his explanation about what is on Dimmesdale's chest, because he wants to leave it open for the readers' own interpretation. Different readers can feel very differently about Dimmesdale and what he has done.
Why does Pearl throw the burr at Dimmesdale?
This fixation results from Hester's secrecy. Pearl throws one of the burrs she is carrying toward Dimmesdale. She tells Hester that they should leave since the Black Man has possessed Dimmesdale and will get them too.
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.
What does Pearl do when Dimmesdale kisses her?
Pearl desires the minister to acknowledge her in public. While Hester assures her that this admission will happen in the future, Dimmesdale kisses Pearl's forehead in an attempt to mollify her. Pearl immediately goes to the brook and washes off the kiss.
Why is Chillingworth a leech?
Roger Chillingworth is called “the leech” because he sucks the spirit and strength from Reverend Dimmesdale the way the aquatic leech exploits and often kills its host. He pretends to be a caring physician, but he extorts favors from the clergyman to serve his own selfish need to be near Hester, his legal wife.
What three theories are there to explain how the letter appeared on Dimmesdale’s chest?
What theories are given about the scarlet letter imprinted in the minister's flesh? The theories that are given about the scarlet letter on Dimmesdale's chest are: he inflicted it upon himself, Chillingworth used magic to put it there, and that it was remorse and guilt that put it on his chest.
What does the engraving on Hester and Dimmesdale’s gravestone mean?
A motto carved on the headstone they share ensures that their punishment follows them even into death: "on a field, sable, the letter A, gules." This motto is a verbal representation of the scarlet letter ("sable" means black and "gules" means reddish).
What killed Dimmesdale?
What kills Dimmesdale? Reverend Dimmesdale dies of an illness that haunts his soul. Tormented by his terrible guilt and the psychological torture of Roger Chillingworth who has vowed that “he will be mine ” Dimmesdale is so burdened spiritually that his health fails and he can bear his sin no more.
What kills Dimmesdale?
But both say physician Roger Chillingworth used poison to murder the Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale, the preacher who fathered a child by adulteress Hester Prynne. Chillingworth was Prynne's husband.
Why does Dimmesdale climb the scaffold at night what is the source of his chest pain?
Dimmesdale climbs the scaffold at night so that he can confess his sin and feel how Hester felt. The source of his chest pain is the scarlet "A" he bears. 20. Discuss how Dimmesdale's behavior on the scaffold reveals his psychological stress.
What do the prickly burrs symbolize in the scarlet letter?
The burrs are even placed directly upon the scarlet letter on Hester's chest, the symbol of her adultery.
Is Dimmesdale the black man?
In Hawthorne s The Scarlet Letter, the Black Man of the forest is none other than Roger Chillingworth. Some may read the novel and assume that Dimmesdale is the Black Man. It may be viewed that Dimmesdale s affair with Hester is the cause for the scarlet letter, but this is untrue.
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.
Why does Pearl reject Dimmesdale’s kiss?
Pearl rejects Dimmesdale's kiss because he refuses to go back into town holding hers and Hester's hands. She is unsure if Dimmesdale truly is her father, so this leads to the action she has done.
Does Pearl know that Dimmesdale is her father?
Pearl is also the conscience of Dimmesdale. In Chapter 3, when Hester stands with her on the scaffold, Pearl reaches out to her father, Dimmesdale, but he does not acknowledge her. Once again on the scaffold in Chapter 13, Pearl asks the minister to stand with them in the light of day and the eyes of the community.
What is Chillingworth secret in the scarlet letter?
By renaming himself upon his arrival in Boston, Chillingworth has hidden his past from everyone except Hester, whom he has sworn to secrecy. He incorporates himself into society in the role of a doctor, and since the townsfolk have very little access to good medical care, he is welcomed and valued.
Why won’t Pearl tell Dimmesdale who Chillingworth is?
She will not reveal Pearl's father to protect Reverend Dimmesdale's reputation, as he is the minister of the church. She does not reveal that Chillingworth is really her husband because she has promised him that she will not.
What happens to Pearl after Dimmesdale dies?
A short time later, Chillingworth also dies and leaves his fortune to Pearl; Pearl and Hester go abroad, but Hester returns alone years later to live out her days quietly in the New England community. The ending turns the story into a narrative of redemption, and one in which good triumphs over evil.
What will be on Hester’s gravestone?
When she dies, she is buried bearing the inscription: "On a field, sable, the letter A, gules."
What are Dimmesdale’s last words?
Dimmesdale's very last words are "Praised be his name! His will be done! Farewell!" These words are significant because they were spoken after his confession, and then he died.
What is revealed about Dimmesdale’s disease?
Reverend Dimmesdale's illness is psychosomatic, caused by his own shame and self-loathing and by keeping his actions a secret from his community. Over the course of his illness, Reverend Dimmesdale grows emaciated, his voice sounds melancholy, and he often places his hand over his heart.
Why does Dimmesdale cry out while on the scaffold?
Why does Dimmesdale cry out while on the scaffold? Dimmesdale shrieks out of horror at the thought that his guilt is exposed to the view of the universe. He calls to Wilson out of a fatalistic impulse that tells him he will soon be exposed because he feels he cannot move.
What are the Burrs in The Scarlet Letter?
The burrs are even placed directly upon the scarlet letter on Hester's chest, the symbol of her adultery. However, when Pearl goes to put burrs on Dimmesdale, he draws away from it, fearful and nervous. He cannot bear to be caught with the burr, just as he cannot bear to admit his involvement with Hester and Pearl.
What does pearl call Chillingworth?
Pearl sticks prickly burrs from nature unto the letters. What does Pearl call Roger Chillingworth in chapter 10? The Black Man.