Hawthorns Letter A

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on his spirit: "His form grew emaciated; his voice...had a certain melancholy prophecy of decay in it; he was often observed...to put his hand over his heart with...paleness, indicative of pain" (106). Although his reputation is flawless and his parishioners believe that through death, he is to be called to a higher plane of existence, Dimmesdale says with what is believed to be humility that his looming death is "because of his own unworthiness to perform his mission here on earth" (106). In retrospect, this marks the beginning of a critical and fatal duality of Dimmesdale’s character: the public believes he is a saint, while Dimmesdale knows himself the vilest sinner. His refusal to confess his misdeed only compounds his guilt, which is symbolized by his rapidly deteriorating physical condition. However, it remains his strategy to hide his sin, letting it fester in the dark.
It is at this point that Roger Chillingworth, physician and Hester Prynne’s husband, ...

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of Dimmesdale’s quest are incompatible. He cannot become a truly holy man because he must perpetuate a monstrous façade to do so - by which he commits yet another sin. Seeing that a "catch-22" exists between being holy and keeping his reputation, he attempts to convey to his congregation the truth about himself: "More than once...he [tells] his hearers that he was...the worst of sinners," but such speech makes them think of him still more highly (126). What Dimmesdale intends as a confession is viewed as a statement of virtue and modesty. But the preacher knows his words would be viewed as such, and only therefore does he come forward with his mock confession. Still unable to ...

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