"The Scarlet Letter" tells the story of Hester Prynne's sin and all that came about from her daughter's being born because of adultery. The Puritan society, Dimmesdale's, and Hester's story takes place in a strict, hypocritical, and judgmental one. Their adulterous sin was one the puritans believed should have been punished by death. However, only Hester was punished as Dimmesdale kept his part of the sin a secret. Hester was forced to wear a scarlet letter "A" on all her clothing, as a symbol for her sin and shame. On the other side, Dimmesdale stayed away and was not punished at all. But, as he began to change he felt something should be done. Dimmesdale's final disclosure of sins displayed his moral strength because during the beginning of the book, he lives his life as a coward, never admitting his sin, leaving all the blame and embarrassment to Hester. His character evolved drastically throughout the beginning, middle, and end. He went from being a selfish man that puts his reputation before his morals, to finding a way to redeem himself.
In the beginning of "Scarlet Letter" Dimmesdale ignored the situation he was in and kept it all a secret. The puritans around him glorified those who were head of their town because they were supposed to be examples of all that was pure. However, he lied to everyone around him, pretending to be something he wasn't. When Hester was publicly ostracized for her sin, Dimmesdale never had the courage to stand up with her and share the throne of shame and .
humiliation. He even had the chance to admit he was her lover when she was asked by the townspeople and the governor himself. "Good Master Dimmesdale. The responsibility of this woman's soul in your hands." (Hawthorne 61). When Governor Bellingham told Dimmesdale that Hester's fate was up to him, he could've change everything by admitting he had done. He instead stayed to himself, and disregarded his sin, letting his guilt catch up to him.