morbid forms of penance-fasts and scourgings-but he can neither whip nor starve the sin from his soul. In his agony, he staggers to the pulpit to confess, but his The reverend seems to want to reveal himself, but Chillingworth's influence and his own shame are stronger than his weak conscience. Dimmesdale cannot surrender an identity which brings him the love and admiration of his parishioners. He is far too intent on his earthly image to willingly reveal his sin. Once Hester explains Chillingworth's plans, and thus breaks Chillingworth's spell, Dimmesdale begins to overcome him. He does it, though, in a way which brings him even more earthly glory. Thus, he never loses his cherished image, and consequently, is pushed down the slippery slope even further. I, unlike the community, think there is a problem with Dimmesdale. During his struggles to tell his parishioners the truth, they misunderstand his statements, he loses his faith, which is never completely regained. Dimmesdale's sin has eaten away at him, reducing him to a shriveling, pathetic creatungth is a re-affirmation of his sin with Hester, and the plot to escape the town (201): It was the exhilarating effect-upon a prisoner just escaped from the dungeon of his own heart-of breathing the wild, free atmosphere of an unredeemed, unchristianized, lawless region. In short, fallen nature has set him free from his inner distress, but l

Some topics in this essay:
Unlike Dimmesdale, Tvil Dimmesdale, God Throughout, Dimmesdale Dimmesdale's, Hester Dimmesdale, Hester Pearl, Mistress Hibbins, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Randall Stewart, Hell Dimmesdale, chillingworth's influence, dimmesdale begins, hester pearl, coward hypocrite, hester hester, sin hester,