Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is perhaps the character most heavily afflicted by his sin of adultery. He is the father of Hester Prynne’s child Dimmesdale has committed this sin as a man of God and as a prominent figure in the community. This adds to the pressure and guilt already upon him. Dimmesdale feels guilty because he cannot confess his sin to the congregation and he also left Hester to suffer the situation by herself. He feels so guilt ridden he tortures himself. Fasting and physical torture are Dimmesdale remedies for his sin but even these do not soothe his troubled soul. Although nobody knows Rev. Dimmesdale has committed adultery he suffers both physically and mentally from the situation. Hawthorne makes this point evident when he says, “His form grew emaciated; his voice, though still rich and sweet, had a certai

Hester Prynne’s experience is unique in the way that her sins are encompassed in the sins of others. An example of this is her promise to keep the identity of Roger Chillingworth secret. Chillingworth is going to torture Dimmesdale and Hester does nothing about it leaving him to suffer. Hester’s guilt is derived from the fact that she cannot reveal the identity of her husband. She sees the personal anguish of Dimmesdale and yet does not try and alleviate him by telling who Chillingworth really is. Her sin of adultery is also encompassed into on of Dimmesdale’s sins. Dimmesdale was not there to help her during her time of trial and persecution. Hester was alienated and shamed by her community and was left to struggle through the experience by herself. This changes Hester’s personality and view on society. She is no longer a tender and passionate rather, the scarlet letter has made her cold and bitter; only a harsh outline of her former self. However, the scarlet letter did not change Hester for the worse. It in fact made her a stronger woman. Hester though shunned and mocked by the community still offers her services to them with no shame. She makes good use of her sewing ability and even feeds the poor. The community changes their views about Hester in the following passage written by Hawthorne. “The letter was the symbol of her calling. S

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