The Scarlet Letter: The False Qualities Of Life
Irish novelist Brian Moore observed, "There comes a point in many
people's lives when they can no longer play the role they have chosen for
themselves" (Bookshelf 95). From Hollywood movie stars to professional athletes,
people have and will continue to lead false lives, under the public spotlight,
concealing their personal travails. In literature, the preceding statement has
held true numerous times, in works such as Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet
Letter. Minister and respected citizen, Arthur Dimmesdale, was perceived as an
upstanding member of the community who preached the word of the heavenly Father.
But before the public, he was only camouflaging his dark, hidden secret, ...
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his" (167). Dimmesdale had risen
through the ranks of the church and had the utmost respect of the people of
Boston. Dimmesdale's "eloquence and religious fervor had already given the
earnest of high eminence in his profession" (48). Hawthorne pointed out that
Dimmesdale was a very influential and powerful speaker, whose soft spoken words,
"affected them [the townspeople] like the speech of an angel" (48). Dimmesdale
also had the ability to preach unmatched sermons, containing messages that could
touch souls. This was the case during a service following his vigil when,
"Souls… were brought to the truth by the efficacy of that sermon, and vowed
within themselves to cherish a holy gratitude towards Mr. Dimmesdale" (108).
Hawthorne made Dimmesdale's public character so morally, scholarly, and
biblically flawless, that his hidden past literally killed him from the inside.
Hawthorne used Dimmesdale's secret passion with Hester to engineer his
relentless downfall. Despite ...
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the heavens for help. By making this choice, Dimmesdale sealed his fate
as one of ongoing personal pain.
Hawthorne also made use of symbolism to illustrate Dimmesdale's false
qualities by using the scarlet "A." As Hester's sin was made clear to the
public, Dimesdale's half of the sin remained in the shadows. His "A" burned
from within, causing him to constantly clench his hand over his heart, trying
to extinguish an unquenchable fire. Hawthorne showed us once again that
Dimmesdale's inability to come forward with his past was causing him to hurt not
only on the inside, but also to experience physical pain. Dimmesdale said to
Hester, "Happy are you, Hester, that you wear the ...
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"The Scarlet Letter: The False Qualities Of Life." Essayworld.com. February 4, 2004. Accessed April 24, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Scarlet-Letter-False-Qualities-Life/2526.
"The Scarlet Letter: The False Qualities Of Life." Essayworld.com. February 4, 2004. Accessed April 24, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Scarlet-Letter-False-Qualities-Life/2526.
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