Arthur Dimmesdale
In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale unquestionably suffers more than Hester Prynne, his accomplice in the affair that took place years ago. He is tortured by Roger Chillingworth, Hester's husband, who arrives in Boston and begins to 'assist' Dimmesdale with his illness. He is also tormented by Pearl, Hester and Dimmesdale's daughter, who, is a product of the affair. He also injures himself, as the shame of the incident literally makes him sick. These persons, including himself, contribute to Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale's potential downfall. Roger Chillingworth arrives in Boston, and ironically, the first scene he views is his wife, Hester Prynne, serving her three-hour sentence of standing on the pillory. As he comes out of the woods with a big Indian, he joins the crowd. At which time, we are immediately informed of his physical description. We are told he is short, has one shoulder higher than the other, and looks intelligent, however, there was not something right about him, "his look became keen and penetrative." (p.54) In the next chapter, we are told that Chillingworth is Hester's husband. They do not have the same name, however, because Chillingworth wishes
Dimmesdale also punishes himself for having slept with Hester. He whips himself because he still feels ashamed that Hester is taking all of the rap for the deed, "In Mr. Dimmesdale's secret closet...there was a bloody scourge...plied it on his own shoulders." (p.130) He not only beats himself, but he also fasts for abnormally long periods of time, "until his knees trembled beneath him, as an act of penance." (p.130) In addition to lengthy fasts, Dimmesdale would keep vigils through the night. In one of these vigils, he looked into a mirror and saw hallucinations, "a group of shining angels...dead friends...his white-bearded father...his mother...Hester Prynne...Pearl." (p.130) He never let these get to him, though, "he could discern substances through their misty lack of substance." (p.131) At the end of Chapter Eleven, we are led to believe that he might commit suicide, similar to Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman, however, we learn in the next chapter that he only walks to the pillory to try and ease his conscience. Roger Chillingworth is not the only person to torment Dimmesdale. Little Pearl, Hester and Arthur's daughter, also torments him as well. Pearl does not make Dimmesdale suffer as much as Roger, but she does inflict her share of damage. During the conversation between Chillingworth and Dimmesdale about Dimmesdale's spirit, Pearl and Hester come walking through the graveyard. Pearl gathers a handful of burrs from a birdock, and placed them along her mother's 'A.' As they continue down the path, they pass Dimmesdale's window, and she, "threw one of the prickly burrs at the reverend Mr. Dimmesdale." (p.120) Dimmesd
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Approximate Word count = 1118
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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