Sunday, August 22, 2010

Dimmesdale's Guilt


The Scarlet Letter By: Nathaniel Hawthorne (pg. 102-124)

THE LEECH AND HIS PATIENT
Roger Chillingworth continues to befriend clergyman Mr. Dimmesdale and has decided to keep searching for answers. He is very careful about what he asks Mr. Dimmesdale but the passion he has for wanting to know if Mr. Dimmesdale is his wife's, daughter's, father causes him to be firm on occasions and leaves the clergyman somewhat suspicious.
THE INTERIOR OF THE HEART
Mr. Dimmesdale is tortured with the knowledge of his un-repented sin. The whole community adores him and as he is fallen ill, they are all very understanding as well as concerned about his health. When Dimmesdale preaches on what a sinner he is, not revealing his sin, the town only loves him more. Dimmesdale becomes overcome with guilt and begins to have visions of Hester unveiling his secret.
THE MINISTER'S VIGIL
Later Dimmesdale is so overcome with guilt he leaves his house and finds himself standing in front of the scaffold where Hester Prynne stood. He stands there and shortly after letting out a long cry Hester walked by from visiting the dying Governor and he asks her and Pearl to stand with him. A meteor shower exposes them to Roger Chillingworth who takes the clergyman home on his way from the Governor's house. The next morning Dimmesdale gives one of his best sermons yet. After the service one of the ministers announces that one of the clergyman's gloves was found on the scaffold platform and surely that must have been the work of the devil and that the 'A' that formed in the sky with meteores surly stood for Angel as he thinks Dimmesdale was sent from God.

Now that the Governor has passed away and the town loves Dimmesdale so much I wonder if they will want him to be Governor. In Puritan society the magistrates were not only religious icons but also government officials I wonder in the most popular clergyman, Dimmesdale will be asked to govern the town. Now that Chillingworth has seen Dimmesdale standing on the platform with Hester and Pearl he must surly know that Dimmesdale is feeling guilty and will soon revel his secret to his closest friend.

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