"She ascended a flight of wooden steps, and was thus displayed to the surrounding multitude."
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Chapters 23-24 Response
Upon finishing the novel my thoughts first turned to Dimmesdale and his revealing of his sin. I began to think about the way the three main characters were affected. For Dimmesdale and Hester I believe Dimmesdale's honesty liberated them. Hester was trapped from the moment she stood upon the scaffold. Although I believe it was honorable of Hester to keep Dimmesdale's secret hidden, I think it caused her to became even more tormented by the Puritan society and even her own guilt because she had to bear the punishment alone. No one else understood the guilt and darkness that stained her heart except for Dimmesdale, but he wouldn't stand by her side. Over the course of the novel Hester became of a shadow of the strong woman who once stood on the scaffold. In the forest Hester seems to return to her old self though when Dimmesdale decides to reveal the truth to the public and leave with her, leaving their sin behind. She sheds her letter, "The stigma gone, Hester heaved a long, deep sigh, in which the burden of shame and anguish departed from her spirit. Oh, exquisite relief!" (Hawthorne 182). She is liberated from her sin because Dimmesdale will reveal the truth with her and leave. Likewise, Dimmesdale is liberated by his actions. In my opinion, Dimmesdale struggled the whole novel with the shame of having Hester bear the burden of their sin alone and the shame of denying his daughter. By revealing his sin he is freed of this shame because he stands with Hester and acknowledges Pearl as his own. Pearl even kisses him. Dimmesdale is also liberated from the tortures of Chillingworth. Chillingworth exclaims to Dimmesdale, "'Thou hast escaped me!' he repeated more than once. 'Thou hast escaped me!'" (Hawthorne 228). By admitting his sin Chillingworth can no longer control him. Chillingworth also was affected. Chillingworth was torturing Dimmesdale but when his sin is revealed Chillingworth looses all his power over him. Over the past 7 years Chillingworth had lived to lived to torture Dimmesdale. It was his reason to live, and without a purpose in life Chillingworth dies.
Question #3:
Where are the four major characters during the final scaffold scene?
Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale all stand together during the final scaffold scene as Dimmesdale finally tells the truth and reveals his sin. Chillingworth also is on the scaffold standing with the family.
Question #7:
What is the effect of Dimmesdale's confession on Chillingworth?
In the past 7 years Chillingworth has devoted his whole being to torturing Dimmesdale. When Dimmesdale reveals his sin Chillingworth can no longer torture him. Hawthorne writes, "It is a curious subject of observation and inquiry, whether hatred and love be not the same thing at bottom. Each, in its utmost development, supposes a high degree of intimacy and heart-knowledge; each renders one individual dependent for the food of his affections and spiritual life upon another; each leaves the passionate lover, or the no less passionate hater, forlorn and desolate by the withdrawal of his subject" (Hawthorne 232). This excerpt shows how an individual can become dependent upon hate or love. Chillingworth is dependent upon his hate for Dimmesdale, it fuels his life, and without out he has no purpose and dies.
I really like how you look at the effect of Dimmesdale's confession on Chillingworth. I totally agree with you here, it's like Chillingworth lived solely for the pleasure of twisting the self-hatred that already existed in Dimmesdale. It seemed to me when Dimmesdale admitted his sin, he was almost accepting his act and himself and at that moment Chillingworth knew his cause was lost. I think it's such a triumphant moment in the novel.
I agree completely with your opinion on how Hester was affected. If she were to have had Dimmesdale sharing her sin, I do believe that she would have been less tormented by the Puritan society. I also agree that she was liberated from her sin when Dimmesdale decided to reveal his sin and run away with her, which leads to his liberation as well.
I like your comparison of how Dimmesdale's confession affects each of the characters; Hester, Pearl and Chillingworth. As you pointed out, Chillingworth's downfall is brought upon by Dimmesdale admitting to his sin. Without the ability to torture Dimmesdale with the ever present guilt he feels, Chilllingworth's purpose for living disappears. I like how you pointed out that for Pearl, this is the moment that she finally accepts her father, kissing him and holding his hand on the scaffold. And I like your interpretation of Hester being liberated from the constrains of her sin.
I do see your perspective on the effect of Dimmesdale's "playing it out", but I think I disagree with you. I mean, I do believe that his confession relinquishes him from this guilt and brings a certain peace back to to his conscience, but I disagree with the portion regarding how Hester's not ratting him out gave him this relief eventually and made her more guilty than he. I believe that by not ratting him out Hester had made the guilt even worse for him. He lived miserably in the years trying to conceal the secret and only obtained peace once he let the truth be told. I believe that if he had not tried to hide it in the first place he would have 1) received relief a lot faster and 2) not necessarily died so soon.
I agree with you when you say that Chillingworth's purpose in life is to torture Dimmesdale,and now that he can no longer do that, he has no purpose to live. For the last seven years, Chillingworth's life has been consumed by this concept, that his appearance has changed over time. He has aged dramatically, because of his obsession. Roger Chillingworth's life is completely controlled by his need to torture Dimmesdale.
I really like how you look at the effect of Dimmesdale's confession on Chillingworth. I totally agree with you here, it's like Chillingworth lived solely for the pleasure of twisting the self-hatred that already existed in Dimmesdale. It seemed to me when Dimmesdale admitted his sin, he was almost accepting his act and himself and at that moment Chillingworth knew his cause was lost. I think it's such a triumphant moment in the novel.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with your opinion on how Hester was affected. If she were to have had Dimmesdale sharing her sin, I do believe that she would have been less tormented by the Puritan society. I also agree that she was liberated from her sin when Dimmesdale decided to reveal his sin and run away with her, which leads to his liberation as well.
ReplyDeleteI like your comparison of how Dimmesdale's confession affects each of the characters; Hester, Pearl and Chillingworth. As you pointed out, Chillingworth's downfall is brought upon by Dimmesdale admitting to his sin. Without the ability to torture Dimmesdale with the ever present guilt he feels, Chilllingworth's purpose for living disappears. I like how you pointed out that for Pearl, this is the moment that she finally accepts her father, kissing him and holding his hand on the scaffold. And I like your interpretation of Hester being liberated from the constrains of her sin.
ReplyDeleteI do see your perspective on the effect of Dimmesdale's "playing it out", but I think I disagree with you. I mean, I do believe that his confession relinquishes him from this guilt and brings a certain peace back to to his conscience, but I disagree with the portion regarding how Hester's not ratting him out gave him this relief eventually and made her more guilty than he. I believe that by not ratting him out Hester had made the guilt even worse for him. He lived miserably in the years trying to conceal the secret and only obtained peace once he let the truth be told. I believe that if he had not tried to hide it in the first place he would have 1) received relief a lot faster and 2) not necessarily died so soon.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you when you say that Chillingworth's purpose in life is to torture Dimmesdale,and now that he can no longer do that, he has no purpose to live. For the last seven years, Chillingworth's life has been consumed by this concept, that his appearance has changed over time. He has aged dramatically, because of his obsession. Roger Chillingworth's life is completely controlled by his need to torture Dimmesdale.
ReplyDelete