Daily Living Proof Of Hester's Sin example essay topic

ANALYSIS OF PLOT STRUCTURE The Scarlet Letter is a unified, masterfully written novel. It is structured around three crucial scaffold scenes and three major characters that are all related. The story is about Hester Prynne, who is given a scarlet letter to wear as a symbol of her adultery. Her life is closely tied to two men, Roger Chillingworth, her husband, and Arthur Dimmesdale, her minister and the father of her child. Her husband is an old, misshapen man who Hester married while still in Europe. Chillingworth sends her ahead of him to New England, and then does not follow her or correspond with her for two years.

Ironically, he shows up on the day that Hester is publicly punished for her sin of adultery. It is the first of the three scaffold scenes. Hester stands alone, clutching her infant. Chillingworth and Dimmesdale stand in the crowd watching her.

Chillingworth is incensed over her sinfulness and vows to find out the identity of her partner so that he can have his revenge. is tormented by Chillingworth. As a result, Dimmesdale suffers from failing health as well as from his guilt. He tries to confess and cannot find the courage to do it. He even mounts the scaffold one night and calls Hester and Pearl to his side -- but it is under the cover of darkness. Unfortunately, Chillingworth watches this second scaffold scene in the darkness. He now has his final proof that Dimmesdale is the father of Pearl.

His revenge intensifies. Hester realizes what is going on between Dimmesdale and Chillingworth and gains permission from her husband to reveal his true identity to the minister. Dimmesdale is devastated by the news and agrees to flee Boston with Hester and Pearl. He will do anything to escape the hold that Chillingworth has on him. In the end, however, Dimmesdale realizes that he can only be rid of his tormentor by publicly acknowledging his guilt. At the end of the novel, on Election Day, Dimmesdale climbs the scaffold with Hester and Pearl again.

This third scaffold scene is in the light of day and before a crowd. With his family at his side, Dimmesdale finally confesses his sin and shows the scarlet 'A' on his chest. He then dies peacefully. Hawthorne has perfectly structured The Scarlet Letter around three scaffold scenes. At the first one, located in the very beginning of the novel, Hester openly confesses her sin of adultery in the light of day while Dimmesdale and Chillingworth look on from the crowd that has gathered.

The second scaffold scene occurs in the middle of the book and is the climax of the plot. Dimmesdale climbs the scaffold alone and calls for Hester and Pearl to join him. It is not a public confession, however, for it is done in the cover of darkness with no witnesses, except for the evil Chillingworth, who now has his proof that Dimmesdale is Pearl's father. The third and final scaffold scene occurs at the end of the novel. Dimmesdale climbs the scaffold again with Hester and Pearl at his side. This time it is in the light of day and before a crowd, and he publicly confesses his sin.

He has won his personal victory. The Scarlet Letter centers round the consequences of sin, especially shame and guilt. It is to be noted that the sin of adultery is, in itself, not the subject matter of the novel. In fact, the novel opens after the sin has been committed and Pearl, the offspring of the sinful, but natural, union is three months old. As Hawthorne himself states in the opening chapter, the novel is about human weakness and its resulting sorrow. Hawthorne's focus of attention is the effect the sin has on Hester and Dimmesdale.

They constantly suffer from shame and guilt throughout the novel. Both of them lead joyless lives. Dimmesdale, however, suffers much more intensely than Hester. Hester is made to publicly acknowledge her sin.

A scarlet letter 'A' is permanently placed on her dress to symbolize her adultery, and she is made to stand on the scaffold with her baby for several hours of public humiliation. She becomes a social outcast of the Puritan society and lives in isolation on the outskirts of town. Pearl, her lively and uncontrollable daughter, is the daily living proof of Hester's sin. With pride, she dresses her daughter in brightly colored clothing and holds her on head up high. She also concerns herself with doing acts of charity and kindnesses for other people. Even though her life is difficult and drab, Hester, through her own doing, rises about the scarlet letter 'A' on her chest. being humble and honors him even more; this only increases his sense of shame and guilt.

Chillingworth, who realizes that Dimmesdale is Pearl's father, adds to the minister's torture. Under the guise of help, the evil physician torments Dimmesdale daily. Not courageous enough to tell the truth to this Puritanical community, Dimmesdale accepts Hester's plan to escape from Boston. Running from the truth makes him feel even more guilty. Finally, he can bear the shame and guilt no longer. On Election Day, he climbs the scaffold with Hester and Pearl and publicly confesses his sin.

Since he has admitted his guilt and won his personal victory, he is free to die in peace. Unfortunately, the consequence of the sin for Hester and Dimmesdale is eternal shame and guilt. Their lives are ruined as a result of their sinfulness. Since their sin is committed in the strict, moralistic Puritan society, their suffering is made even greater. Dimmesdale, however, suffers the most, for he is tortured by his hypocrisy and hidden guilt.