Dimmesdale's Guilt in The Scarlet Letter Essay Sample

In the excerpt from The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne characterizes Dimmesdale as guilty yet apprehensive through painful imagery and figurative language in order to demonstrate his fear of fully admitting to his sin.

Hawthorn characterizes Dimmesdale as guilty through painful imagery and figurative language in order to convey his internal struggle as a result of his adultery. Dimmesdale’s lack of admitting to his sin continues to deepen the guilt he experiences, in his attempt to remain pure in the eyes of Puritan society throughout the novel. Hawthorne utilizes figurative language to portray Dimmesdale’s guilt, and the overwhelming effect it has on his daily presence: “the gnawing and poisonous tooth of bodily pain” (Hawthorne). His guilt is demonstrated through metaphors, and the pain he suffers due to hiding his secret, although it continues to pain him more as time progresses. Additionally to Dimmesdale's guilt, he experiences a great deal of pain as he avoids accountability:  “he shrieked aloud; an outcry that went pealing through the night” (Hawthorne). Dimmesdale suffers from the pain of his guilt, as demonstrated by the use of painful imagery. The sin affects him in much greater ways internally than it did Hester, as Dimmesdale perceives keeping his sin a secret safer than revealing it to the whole of society. Dimmesdale is further characterized for his guilt through Hawthorne’s use of personification, as it is depicted: “He had been driven hither by the impulse of that Remorse which dogged him everywhere” (Hawthorne). His remorse is described as following him around in his daily life and being a constant reminder of his adultery. Hawthorne utilizes his pain and guilt to further the idea of Dimmesdale being afraid to admit to his sins, as he would rather suffer internally, than admit his mistakes to those who see him as genuine.

Hawthorn utilizes painful imagery and figurative language in order to characterize Dimmesdale as apprehensive, expressing his internal struggle with coming to terms with his sin. While Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold at night, admitting his sin of adultery to himself, he demonstrates his fear of doing so in front of society, such as Hester did. As Dimmesdale first stands on the scaffold, Hawthorne portrays his actions by: “There was no peril of discovery… without other risk than that the dank and chill night-air” (Hawthorne). Dimmesdale’s actions prove his fear of standing on the scaffold before the Puritan society, and what he is willing to sacrifice to remain pure in their eyes. Furthermore, Dimmesdale is described as cautiously waiting to admit his sin openly, as written by Hawthorne: “No eye could see him, save that ever-wakeful one which has seen him in his closet… Why, then, had he come hither?” (Hawthorne). While Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold, in an attempt to come to terms with his sin alone, he does so in an attempt to keep it private from society. Hawthorne utilizes a sense of figurative language, and metaphors, as Dimmesdale is depicted as being within a closet, in which no one can see him and his sin which he keeps tucked away. In addition, Hawthorne utilizes personification, to state the control Dimmesdale’s fear has within his actions, “that Cowardice which invariably drew him back, with her tremulous gripe” (Hawthorne). Dimmesdale is described as cowardly, and is greatly portrayed in his fear of coming fully clean of his sin. “Cowardice” is described as having a large hold over him, constantly pulling him back within his place in society.