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Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter, is a brilliant story about truth and love. He wrote The Scarlet Letter during a time in the 19 th century when romantic literature was popular in America. His tale dwells on the sin of adultery in a Puritan village. The first character that Hawthorne puts to life is Hester Prynne, a young bride awaiting her husband.
Next, Hawthorne suspiciously sneaks Arthur Dimmesdale into the plot, an inspired Puritan minister who is beloved by the citizens. After Hawthorne reveals Dimmesdale's sinister secret, and link to Hester, it is noticeable that Dimmesdale does not have the love for Hester as she holds for him. It is obvious from the beginning that Hester loves Dimmesdale. When she is being grilled for the identity of the father of her child in front of the entire village, she cares for him enough to refuse to reveal his identity. When offered the chance to remove the scarlet letter A if she would only speak his name and repent, she stands up to the crowd and refuses to give in to its pressure.
Another noticeable feature of her love for Dimmesdale is that she remains in the village as an outcast rather than fleeing to a more accepting environment, where she might possibly live a normal life. According to the narrator, she could not leave this place because; there trade the feet of one with whom she deemed herself connected in a union, that, unrecognized on earth, would bring them together before the bar of final judgment. She realizes that she cannot lead a normal life in this community with Dimmesdale, but even so, she cannot bring herself to leave him. This is evidence of her love for him. Hester endures pain and torment alone, without even the support of her partner in sin. Even so, she still feels more anguish over being the cause of Dimmesdale's pain than she does for the humiliation of being branded impure before her community.
As she states herself, under questioning by the ministers before the town and would that I might endure his agony, as well as mine! . That she should feel guilt for causing him pain when he was as much involved as she was proves how deeply she does love him. Hester would love to escape her punishment, but only if she can still be with Dimmesdale. While conversing with Dimmesdale alone in the forest where no one can overhear, she brings up the idea of fleeing with him, and living a life full of love with him in another land. She says So brief a journey would bring thee from a world where thou hast been most wretched, to one where thou mayest still be happy. The world she is talking about here is a world deeper along the forest trail where they can freely express their love for one another.
When he seems hesitant to take that path, she suggests another route of escape. Then there is the broad pathway of the sea! It brought thee hither. If thou so choose, it will bear thee back again. Hester is willing to give up her newfound acceptance as healer, from the villagers in a moment to win a chance to live in happiness with a man who has so far shown her little support. Hester also shows her love for Dimmesdale with her courage in confronting Roger Chillingworth with her intent to warn Dimmesdale of the threat Chillingworth poses him.
She is willing to break the vow of secrecy she has made to Chillingworth, saying I must reveal the secret He must discern thee in thy true character this long debt of confidence, due from me to him, whose bane and ruin I have been, shall at length be paid. She knows that Chillingworth is a plotting, revengeful man, whose physical deformity reflects the evil content of his heart. Again she is standing up for the man she loves. In the same conversation, Hester tries to shift Chillingworth's vengeance in disguise off the man she loves and onto herself. She asks him It was I, not less than he. Why hast thou not avenged thyself on me?
Other examples of Hester's undying devotion include the description of what a loving person Hester is, when the narrator states Hester's nature showed itself warm and rich; a well-spring of human tenderness. With her nature revealed as naturally loving, it is easy to see why she is so devoted to Dimmesdale. Later, just before she tells Dimmesdale about the threat living in his own house, the narrator refers to Dimmesdale as the man she still so passionately loved. As revealed by the narrator after Hester stands with Dimmesdale on the scaffold when the scarlet letter appears in the sky, She decided, moreover, that he had a right to her utmost aid Hester saw seemed to seether there lay a responsibility upon her, in reference to the clergyman, which she owed to no other, nor to the whole world besides. Apparently, she even values him more than her own daughter Pearl.
The question posed is whether or not her love is returned. In other words, does this man, Dimmesdale, feel the same love for Hester that Hester obviously feels for him? Throughout the story, Dimmesdale gives every indication that he does not truly love Hester. The first indication is his refusal to admit guilt and to stand with Hester and help support her daughter Pearl. One of the ministers at Hester's public questioning, John Wilson, quotes Dimmesdale as opposing him with a young mans over- softness by saying that it were wronging the very nature of woman to force her to lay open her hearts secrets in such broad daylight, and in the presence of so great a multitude.
He thinks that Dimmesdale is being sensitive to Hester's feelings, when he is in fact protecting himself. He is worried that, if pushed too hard, Hester might reveal his identity. He does not do this out of a fear for his life, but instead out of a fear of losing his position of respect. After she refused to speak, Dimmesdale drew back, with a long respiration. Wondrous strength and generosity of a womans heart! She will not speak! .
He is obviously very relieved that she would not reveal his role in the sin. His sigh of relief at his own safety contrasts unfavorably with his lack of sighs over Hester's suffering. While Dimmesdale does torture himself in private even to the point of death, he is unwilling to face the total rejection that Hester is forced to bear alone. He does not show the courage and devotion that Hester does in the face of public humiliation. Throughout Hester's entire ordeal, Dimmesdale lends her his support only once, to keep the town leaders from taking Pearl, his daughter, away from his former lover. He never forgives Hester, or gives her gifts of money or anything material or immaterial to sustain her in her residence in the woods.
He blames Hester for concealing Chillingworth's identity, saying Woman, thou art accountable for this! I cannot forgive thee! Hester never even blamed Dimmesdale for making her take the public punishment alone, while he cannot even forgive her fear of her husband. When Hester meets Dimmesdale in the forest and throws her arms around him, she begs him for forgiveness. Hawthorne says: He would have released himself, but strove in vain to do so. Hester would not set him free.
This is similar to Dimmesdale's actions throughout the story. All he wishes is to be free of Hester, so that he can return to his successful role as a minister, without constant self-doubt. Just after this quote, Hawthorne speaks of how the whole world and even heaven itself had frowned upon her; But the frown of this pale, weak, sinful, and sorrow-stricken man was what Hester could not bear and live! She cares more about Dimmesdale than she does about her own soul or position in life. He seems to care more about himself and about escaping from her.
Another noticeable action of Dimmesdale's that leads to the conclusion that he does not love Hester is that he is unworried about the state of her soul. He leads her on in the forest, claiming love and agreeing to run away to another place with her and Pearl, but his actions do not show him doing this. He knows in his heart that he never really intended to leave with her. It is likely that he knew he was dying already. Right before Dimmesdale dies in Hester's arms, she asks him if they will spend eternity together. He replies that after their sin, it was thenceforth vain to hope that we could meet hereafter in everlasting and pure reunion.
He thinks that he is going to heaven because of the suffering he has undergone for his part in the sin. It can be inferred from this that he must think that Hester is going to Hell. He doesnt feel for her enough to realize that her suffering was as great, if not greater, than his own. Hester spends seven selfless years concerned with Dimmesdale's well-being, and he likewise spends seven years concerned about his well- being. He feels that his self-inflicted physical pain is enough to deliver him from the guilt of their shared sin. She is willing to be punished in this life and in Gods kingdom for him, and really acknowledges no sin.
Maybe the fact that Hester feels his pain so deeply, while he denies the existence of her pain, and concentrates solely on himself, proves that her love for him is not returned. The meeting between Hester and Dimmesdale in the woods left another trail of crumbs behind Dimmesdale's lie. One of Hester's most joyous moments occurred when she was able to present her fellow sinner his creation. He reacted and said; Thou canst not think, how my heart dreads this interview, and yearns for it! Dimmesdale seems to dread meeting the symbol of his seven years of agony. And he looks at Pearl in that image, as a monster he cannot face.
The reason he yearns for the encounter is simple, he wants to free his soul before he is to die. He does not yearn for her presence to quench his anxiety towards absent fatherhood, which would be the motive taken by a caring person. Hawthorne's description of Dimmesdale's stroll out of the woods and into the town gives an indication that Dimmesdale not only lacks a place in his heart for Hester, but thinks that she is an accomplice of the devil. On his journey through the town, he sees an obtrusive sense of change cast upon everything he passes. Hawthorne implies that Dimmesdale's encounter with Hester forces his character to undergo a total change of dynasty and moral code. Dimmesdale notices his inward decay after every step he was incited to do some strange, wild, wicked thing or another.
Dimmesdale does not understand his sudden change, What is it that haunts and tempts me thus? he asks himself. Finally, Dimmesdale makes an assumption that he would like to believe, Did I make a contract with him (the devil) in the forest, and sign it with my blood? Why would Dimmesdale want to believe Hester was an agent of the devil? First, if Hester was evil, then it would have not been his fault that he had been so strongly tempted, he would be rid of blame. Also, Dimmesdale would feel noble for resisting Hester's bid of a new life and confessing his temptation towards sin before the congregation.
The fact that Dimmesdale was questioning whether Hester was evil or not implies that he wasnt even thinking about loving her. While Hester constantly forgives and blesses Dimmesdale, showing her devotion towards him, Dimmesdale displays no signs towards an involvement in her life, a gesture that her love is not returned.
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