Character Analysis of Arthur Dimmesdale

The Scarlet Letter is a story of characters that have to live and deal with the

effects of sin in different ways. Of these characters, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is

the character portrayed as the most weak and unnoble. Despite this portrayal

Dimmesdale was a stronger character than given credit for. His unbelievable amount of

control in his way of handling his burdens displays his great sense of strength and

intellect.

We first see Dimmesdale portrayed as a nervous and sensitive individual. Despite

his outer appearance, inside Dimmesdale is a very stable, strong person. Chapter Three

states that he showed, ÿnervous sensibility and a vast power of self restraint.ÿ While this

seems to give Dimmesdale great strength, it is also his largest flaw. His body refuses to

do what his heart says is right. Dimmesdale instructs Hester to reveal the truth, but when

she refuses he doesnÿt have the willpower to confess himself. Therefore, his sin becomes

even larger than hers, because while hers is an exposed sin. He continues to lie to

himself and his followers by keeping his secret hidden, so his is a concealed sin. Here

Hawthorne shows us just how strong Dimmesdale actually is, by allowing him to hide his

sin and bear the weight of it, he creates an extremely interesting and tremendously strong

character.

The scaffold is the place that Dimmesdale shows the amount of pain and

self-loathing he is truly capable of concealing. He realizes that he is as much at fault for

Hesterÿs torment as any common villager, if not even more so. Seven years prior, Hester

stood in this place and took the punishment for both of them while he quietly stood aside

and led people to believe that he also condemned her. During those long seven years he

made no move to lessen her load or his own. Now Dimmesdale has had all that he can

bear and lets out a yell that draws the attention of fellow villagers. He curses himself for

his silence and cowardice.

On the scaffold in the chapter 23 the true sign of strength ids revealed. To admit

he is wrong takes strength, but the way that he held in his sin thus committing two, one of

the original sin, and two of the concealment, then confessing after years of frustrating

cowardice takes a stronger man. This confession also in front of his loyal followers, who

had stood by him without a clue of his guilt. His demise was from the drain of his will

which was worn and lacking.

Dimmesdale was not courageous in his actions in the story but strong. He was

able to carry the burdens, frustration , and pain throughout his life. Whether he was

good, brave, or right in what he did is to remain unseen but the fact that he was strong is

certain.

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