English Essay The Scarlet Letter

Michael Rossi
February 10, 2010
Advanced Placement English Language and Composition
Compose a paper no longer than 3 full pages relating to why Dimmesdale’s torment was especially poignant for him, and why he believes it is a blessing from God. Begin with his original sin and take us all the way to his end.

Officer Dimmesdale

In The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale was tormented by religion more than any character in the entire text. He was forced to live an entire life of impiety and he punished himself for it. The sin he originally committed grew too large and unruly for him to police. What made Dimmesdale’s torment more severe than those of the other characters within The Scarlet Letter? The answer is simple; Dimmesdale believed he deserved his suffering, which was not only just, but was also God’s will.
The reader is like a detective who seeks to find the reason for one’s pathological lying streak, only to blurt out the truth before his untimely death. From the first glimpse, Dimmesdale’s motive seems to be denial in order to avoid punishment. When the reader adjusts his lens objectively, the writing on the wall becomes clear, and Dimmesdale’s true motives are revealed.
Dimmesdale’s process of sin was complex and trapped him in its vicious cycle. Dimmesdale sinned. Dimmesdale cannot stand his sin and feels the need to repent. It is understandable that any minister would have a problem with sin, however in Dimmesdale’s unique circumstance; he cannot atone for his sin. Dimmesdale believes that it will ruin the entire Christian faith in his colony. He is looked upon as an ideal individual. If Dimmesdale cannot remain true to God, how can anyone else? Dimmesdale’s faith is the most important aspect of his life, so he feels that he must speak to his people. However, he cannot openly discuss his sin because he believes he will be harming his followers’ faith, so he only speaks of how wretched he is. The people love him even more as they view his self loathing as simply humbling himself: “He had told his hearers that he was altogether vile, a viler companion of the vilest […] They heard it all, and did but reverence him more” (Hawthorne 131). As the people’s love for Dimmesdale increases, his guilt and self hatred are only intensified. As a result, he punishes himself by flogging. To add insult to injury, Dimmesdale believes that all of his punishment is the will of God: “He is merciful! He hath proved his mercy, most of all, in my afflictions. By giving me this burning torture to bear upon my breast!” (Hawthorne 229). Dimmesdale believed that he could no longer influence his fate and he was forever bound to this cycle of torment. Unlike Hester Prynne, Dimmesdale had no safe means of repentance, and in the end, Dimmesdale’s repentance cost his life.
Dimmesdale is a police officer who works in solitude for the good of his town. Dimmesdale caught many criminals and for that he was praised, although his town was becoming a dangerous place dangerously fast. The only trouble is that he had stolen from the town early in his career. Dimmesdale passionately values justice and he would like nothing more that to rot in prison and pay for his crime. Dimmesdale however, is unable to because with him in jail, he will be leaving his abandoning his town and leaving it unprotected. Dimmesdale’s mind is constantly searching for a way to fix the situation, but in doing so, his mind is distracted and it has an adverse effect on his ability to keep the town safe. Dimmesdale painfully trudges through this process day in and day out until one day, he finally snaps. Tears well in his eyes and sweat drips from his palms. Dimmesdale runs to the town square where all the townspeople are gathered, snatches his gun from his holster, and shoots into a crowd. The shot sends frightened women and children running and screaming into the opposite direction while irate men take up arms and run in Dimmesdale’s direction, shooting at him. When all was over and done with, Dimmesdale was dead, and so was the townspeople’s complacence. They erected a citizen run police department and learned how to defend themselves. Dimmesdale sacrificed
himself to bring about a much needed change in the rapidly declining safety of the town. People let their guard down because they saw the cells were full. Dimmesdale showed them how to grow and learn while still allowing himself to be brought to justice.


















Works cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Bantam Dell, 1986