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Hester and Dimmesdale's Sacrifices

The document provides a summary and analysis of the characters Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter. It examines their outward responses, the public's reaction and consequences, internal changes, and end results for each character. The summaries explore how Hester openly wears the scarlet A as a badge of shame while Dimmesdale hides his guilt, leading to different psychological journeys over the course of the story.

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42 views3 pages

Hester and Dimmesdale's Sacrifices

The document provides a summary and analysis of the characters Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter. It examines their outward responses, the public's reaction and consequences, internal changes, and end results for each character. The summaries explore how Hester openly wears the scarlet A as a badge of shame while Dimmesdale hides his guilt, leading to different psychological journeys over the course of the story.

Uploaded by

kate
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Katie Tanner

Advanced English 10

Mr. Garrett

16 July 2018

Hester and Dimmesdale

In his novel, ​The Scarlet Letter​, Nathaniel Hawthorne teaches his readers the importance

of always taking responsibility for your actions because they may never know the outcome and

the guilt they feel will dwell and continue grow. By reading about how Hester and Dimmesdale

make sacrifices, Hawthorne’s readers see that actions speak louder than words.

Hester Prynne-

Outward Response:

● “She took the baby on her arm, and with a burning blush, and yet a haughty smile, and a

glance that would not be abashed, looked around at her townspeople”(Hawthorne 61).

● “And my child must seek a heavenly Father; she shall never know an earthly

one”(Hawthorne 79).

Public’s Reaction/Consequences:

● “This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die”(Hawthorne 60).

● “Speak out the name! That, and thy repentance, may avail to take the scarlet letter off thy

breast”(Hawthorne 78).

Internal Change:

● “And would that I might endure his agony, as well as mine!”(Hawthorne 78).
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● “Shall we not meet again? Surely, surely, we have ransomed one another with all this

woe! Thou lookest far into eternity, with those bright dying eyes!”(Hawthorne 307).

End Result:

● “And Hester Prynne had returned, and taken up her long-forsaken shame!”(Hawthorne

33).

● “And, after many, many years a new grave was delved, near an old and sunken

one”(Hawthorne 316).

Arthur Dimmesdale-

Outward Response:

● “Be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him”(Hawthorne 77).

● “Wondrous strength and generosity of a woman’s heart! She will not speak!”(Hawthorne

79).

Public’s Reaction/Consequences:

● “People say that the Reverend Master Dimmesdale takes it very grievously to heart that

such a scandal should have come upon his congregation”(Hawthorne 59).

● “So powerful seemed the minister’s appeal that the people could not believe but that

Hester Prynne would speak out the guilty name; or else that the guilty one himself would

be drawn forth and compelled to ascend the scaffold”(Hawthorne 78).

Internal Change:

● “What can thy silence do for him, except it tempt him, yea, compel him, as it were, to add

hypocrisy to sin?”(Hawthorne 77).


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● “Behold me here, the one sinner of the world! I stand upon the spot where seven years

since, I should have stood; here with this woman”(Hawthorne 305).

End Result:

● “Pearl kissed his lips. A spell was broken”(Hawthorne 306).

● “Save in this murmur that rolled so heavily after the departed spirit(Hawthorne 307).

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