Arthur Dimmesdale: a modern man caught within the realm of the puritans. Dimmesdale's humanity is on trial throughout this novel, and on his journey to reconciliation we see how the world can break a man.
Dimmesdale is hiding in fear as he travels his path to reconciliation. Throughout the novel Dimmesdale becomes increasingly hurt, as he bears his own scarlet letter within his heart. Dimmesdales fear is apparent when he is walking out of the forest and he runs into a young virgin. He feels as though his sin is a disease and he is afraid to let anyone else catch so he hides his face within his cloak "So with a mightier struggle than he had yet sustained-he held his Geneva cloak before his face"(pg 150). Dimmesdale sinks away into his cloak for he does not want anyone to see his sinful face.
The procession is the setting at which a sickly Dimmesdale's humanity is seen. Through the past seven years Dimmesdale has become frail and weak, at the hand of Chillingworth. I think that Dimmesdale does not admit to the townsfolk that he is the father of Pearl because he is afraid to love. The puritans strong moral code, along with their strong laws and ethical beliefs have driven this reverend, a man who has taken vows and lived in poverty, into a state where he fears love. It is not until Dimmesdale's final stand on the scaffold where he is saved.
Dimmesdale's reconciliation, I believe is finally attained at the end of the novel in which he, Hester and Pearl are together upon the scaffold as a family. The reverend says "Come up hither once again, and we will stand all three together!" (pg140). After Dimmesdale gives his powerful speech, the author says .
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"By yielding up his breath in the arms of that fallen woman, to express to the world how utterly nugatory is the choicest of a man's own righteousness" (pg 177).
In this quote the author is telling how Dimmesdale after seven years has become able to declare his love for Hester.
The article Were the Puritans Puritanical? was a well written piece of writing about puritan life during the 1600's by: Carl N. Degler. Carl N. Degler reveals his opinion on puritan life throughout the article. He says that puritans are not dull, uninteresting, bigoted, and reserved as many people...
"Mass Hysteria" Mass hysteria can be defined as a condition in which a large group of people exhibits similar physical or emotional symptoms, usually stemming from fear or anger. In order for it to be called mass hysteria, the symptoms must be completely pervasive throughout the whole society. ...
Hawthorne's Portrayal of Puritanical Hypocrisy Throughout time, there have been many great American novelists and short story writers. ... From writing several successful novels, and many short stories, Hawthorne has introduced the way of life in Puritanical America to many readers. Along with his views on this culture, Hawthorne uses irony, tales of witchcraft, and the concepts of guilt, confession, and hypocrisy to show his feelings on the Puritanical society and the way they treat other people. ... So, Hawthorne left out many romantic and sexual elements because it was not appropr...
Through the writing of her poetry Bradstreet challenges the ideologies of the Puritanical society by being a female yet writing and publishing her own works. ... Clearly tradition was saying one thing, but Bradstreet was indeed stepping out of the norms that were expected of her and challenging the Puritanical ideals. ... This is evident throughout writings of the Puritanical times. ... Tension arises because Bradstreet was pushing against the framework of Puritanical expectations for women. ... It is clear that Bradstreet was exceeding the boundaries set before her by her Puritanica...
The fact that New England is 3000 miles away from its motherland, a unique puritanical belief in self-importance and the almost universal male franchise made New England very democratic at the time period. ... Second of all, the puritanical belief made the believers think that their direct connection with God made them the equal to any hierarchical officers, such as bishops and even the Pope. ... These elements of democracy are still practiced in the United States of America, which shows that Americans were greatly influenced or rather indoctrinated with the puritanical practices of demo...
Not courageous enough to tell the truth to this Puritanical community, Dimmesdale accepts Hester's plan to escape from Boston. ... PURITANISM IN THE NOVEL Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is set in the seventeenth century New England town of Boston, a staunch Puritanical town. ... Hester's sin, shame, and guilt are clearly heightened by the fact that she lives in a strict Puritanical society, which is unable and unwilling to forgive her sin. The irony of the novel lies in the fact that the most respected member of this Puritanical society, the Reverend Dimmesdale, is...
Because links can be established between the main characters and sinful acts, it is said that this work of Hawthorne is a puritanical allegory, pointing at the sin in everyone. ... Puritanically, only God is allowed to pass judgment and thus Giovanni too plays a role of God that is forbidden, and thus is a sinner. ...
He uses theatricality as a comedic device but in the character of Malvolio, Olivia's somber servant, which embodies the Puritanical anti-theatrical gender defining is not the main object: rather his own social advantage. ... He is the extreme Puritanical figure of mockery that precedes Jonson's Morose. ...
