The Scarlet Letter

A detailed Summary of The Scarlet Letter

A great deal of blood has been shed and many wars have been fought during the history of

greatest battle and most formidable enemy is only himself. This has been made only more evident

time and the development of the human character. However, one factor that has remained constant

character through this development is conscience. Conscience can be man's saving grace or his

presence may simultaneously purify and mar. As contradictory as this may sound, it has been

Nathaniel Hawthorne who chronicles one man's battle against himself in The Scarlet Letter. In

Arthur Dimmesdale struggles to pacify his conscience and withhold the secret of his sin from

conscience continues to consume all that is his very essence, Arthur Dimmesdale illustrates

sin-stained conscience and redemption only through truth. The novel begins to delve into the

Arthur Dimmesdale when Roger Chillingworth questions him about his thoughts on sinners and their

well the torment of his own secret, Arthur proclaims that those who hold such "m

so deeply within him, it has now forced its way outside; it is at all his levels. At this point

swiftly to the scaffold, the same scaffold Hester Prynne was publicly shamed years ago - the

returned to the trappings of society, he was greeted again by his familiar hypocrisy. These acts

the world his humanity and in so doing, forgives himself and is himself forgiven. His conscience

conscience and redemption through truth. Through Arthur's change from merely feeling the pains

a burden his secret is. When Chillingworth further inquires about such sinful secrets, Arthur

against himself. In the novel, Arthur Dimmesdale proved to be an effective character in

Approximate Word count = 869
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous

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