Реферат: Scarlet Letter Essay Research Paper The book

members of a community is the religious leader; Arthur Dimmesdale is no

exception. He was held above the rest, and this is proven in one of the

first scenes of the book. As Hester is above the townspeople on a

scaffold, Dimmesdale, Governor Wilson, and others are still above her.

But, as the reader soon discovers, Arthur Dimmesdale is his own worst

enemy. He hates himself and must physically inflict pain upon himself.

“He thus typified the constant introspection wherewith he tortured, but

could not purify, himself” to never forget what he has done (141). To

Dimmesdale, it is bad that Hester is shown publicly as a sinner, but

people forget that. What is far worse than public shame is Dimmesdale’s

own cruel inner shame. Knowing what only he and Hester know, the secret

eats away at every fiber of Dimmesdale’s being. As the Puritans hold up

Dimmesdale, the Romantics level him as a human.

The Scarlet Letter is a myriad of allegorical theories and

philosophies. Ranging from Puritanic to Romantic, Nathaniel Hawthorne

embodies his ideas to stress his Romantic philosophies through Pearl,

Hester, and Dimmesdale throughout all of this.