The Scarlet Letter: Do You Dread Guilt? Essay Example

sin, seeking revenge against Arthur Dimmesdale. He declares, "We are not, Hester, the worst sinners in the world. There is one worse than even the polluted priest! That old man's revenge has been darker than my sin. He has violated, in cold blood, the sanctity of a human heart. You and I, Hester, never did so!" Since Chillingworth's sin was the darkest, his fate was the most terrible of the three characters. Each character handles their guilt in their own way to overcome this immense burden. Hester Prynne chooses to openly acknowledge her sin and proudly display it to the world. Arthur Dimmesdale conceals his guilt internally and attempts to overcome it through self-punishment, walks in the forest, and secret meetings with Hester. Finally, he publicly confesses on the scaffold during his sermon on Election Day. Roger Chillingworth handles his guilt by appearing unaffected and ignorant, but eventually acknowledges the great sin he has committed. When it comes to guilt, one may feel good, bad, or simply confused. It is a universal issue that affects everyone, as demonstrated in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter.Guilt has immense influence and lingers within the minds and hearts of all individuals when a wrongdoing takes place. English