Hester’s Secrets Essay Example

father, in my opinion. In contemporary times, such an admission from a priest would likely result in imprisonment. Nonetheless, in the plot of the novel, if Dimmesdale had acknowledged this, it could have increased his popularity among the townspeople. Hester also lives with the concealed truth that the academic figure, Chillingworth, is her spouse. During his visit to her in prison, he warns her to not disclose their matrimonial relationship to anyone as nobody locally is aware of his true identity. Hester exhibits considerable resilience and courage by managing to maintain the confidential identities of her lover and her husband.

There must have been instances where the urge to unveil her hidden truths was exceptionally strong. Instead of admitting his culpability to the townspeople, Dimmesdale chooses secrecy, which results in intense personal agony and slowly erodes his health. His constant hand over his chest, shadowing an imagined "A" identical to the one stitched on Hester's dress, exhibits his struggle to cope with his transgression. Dimmesdale is under the impression that this phantom "A" is noticeable to everyone. This is exemplified by the quoted phrase, " Mr.

Dimmesdale was gripped with profound horror, feeling as though the universe was focused on a symbolic scarlet marking on his bare chest, over his heart. It's a sensation of guilt that is exceedingly normal and something we've all encountered at some point. The irony in this scenario is encapsulated in the phrase, "People believe that Reverend Master Dimmesdale, their devoted pastor, is deeply troubled by the scandal that has beset his congregation." Despite Dimmesdale's success in concealing his secret, his congregation is under the impression that

he is astounded that such a disgrace could occur within his flock.

As a minister, Dimmesdale fully understands the psychological distress caused by guilt-laden secrets. He expresses these feelings in relation to his parishioners but there's a chance he was also indirectly talking about himself. He portrays an intense image of people keeping their grim and unclean selves hidden from society while internally enduring unbearable pain for upholding an illusion of innocence that is similar to fresh snow despite their morally tarnished hearts. Eventually, Dimmesdale can't withstand the weight of his secret anymore and publicly discloses his wrongdoings, urging Hester to keep quiet as he confesses their mutual sin. Interestingly, he thinks there's an "A" marked on his chest. It remains unclear whether this "A" was self-inflicted, divinely given or just a product of his imagination. Nevertheless, it's highly probable that Nathaniel Hawthorne meant for the "A" to exist solely in Dimmesdale's mind.

When he realizes he's been deceived, Dr. Chillingworth spends seven years trying to find out who his wife's lover is. The audience first gets a hint of this mission when Chillinworth questions Hester, pleading, "...but Hester, the man who harmed both of us is still out there! Who is he?" He's determined to find and torment this person. Noticing Hester's unwillingness to disclose the identity, he asserts "This man doesn't wear a mark of shame stitched onto his clothes like you do; but I'll extract it from his heart." His conclusion is that he will identify the secret man through evidence of their wicked actions imprinted on his chest - similar to the "A" on Hester’s clothing. This symbolic premonition

suggests that the revelation would involve the concept "heart". Every time the author talks about either the "A" or Hester without mentioning Dimmesdale specifically, words such as "bosom" or "chest" are used.