Scarlet Letter

            The Scarlet Letter is a story of characters that have to live and deal with the .
             Of these characters, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is .
             the character portrayed as the most weak and unnoble. Despite this portrayal .
             Dimmesdale was a stronger character than given credit for. His unbelievable amount of .
             control in his way of handling his burdens displays his great sense of strength and .
             intellect. .
             We first see Dimmesdale portrayed as a nervous and sensitive individual. Despite .
             his outer appearance, inside Dimmesdale is a very stable, strong person. Chapter Three .
             states that he showed, nervous sensibility and a vast power of self restraint. While this .
             seems to give Dimmesdale great strength, it is also his largest flaw. His body refuses to .
             do what his heart says is right. Dimmesdale instructs Hester to reveal the truth, but when .
             she refuses he doesnt have the willpower to confess himself. Therefore, his sin becomes .
             even larger than hers, because while hers is an exposed sin. He continues to lie to .
             himself and his followers by keeping his secret hidden, so his is a concealed sin. Here .
             Hawthorne shows us just how strong Dimmesdale actually is, by allowing him to hide his .
             sin and bear the weight of it, he creates an extremely interesting and tremendously strong .
             character. .
             The scaffold is the place that Dimmesdale shows the amount of pain and .
             self-loathing he is truly capable of concealing. He realizes that he is as much at fault for .
             Hesters torment as any common villager, if not even more so. Seven years prior, Hester .
             stood in this place and took the punishment for both of them while he quietly stood aside .
             and led people to believe that he also condemned her. During those long seven years he .
             made no move to lessen her load or his own. Now Dimmesdale has had all that he can .
             bear and lets out a yell that draws the attention of fellow villagers. He curses himself for .
             his silence and cowardice. .
             On the scaffold in the chapter 23 the true sign of strength ids revealed.