Scarlet Letter Essay, Research Paper
Through out the Scarlet Letter I believe that Hester and Dimmesdale do redeem themselves. I am led to think this for Three major reasons. The first being that the sin is between man and God. In my beliefs they do not have to repent to the people for they have not sinned against them. My second reason for my opinion is that both Hester and especially Dimmesdale feel bad in their hearts for what they have done. The third and final reason is that for every crime I feel that there should be an equal or greater punishment for the crime. Both of the two pay more than what is fair for the crime they committed.
Sin is between man and God. Being Lutheran this is a belief of mine that I live by. I believe this for when you sin it is God?s heart you are breaking, there for you must repent to him not the people. Hester does this all through out the book. She takes the scarlet letter as a personal ignominious burden. Hester carries the shame of the A in her heart. Much deeper than just on the outside or in public. By this she shows that she is sorrowed in her heart, which in my opinion means she is repenting to God.
It is very easy to see Dimmesdale?s shame and repentance in every action he carries out through out the book. Dimmesdale talks of how hard it is to preach to a congregation and save souls when his is polluted. In every action he does he feels bad for the crime he has committed and it shows with his health. For not being able to obtain peace of mind he looses sleep and proper nourishment and eventually his health for a very long period of time. When one can not obtain peace of mind in my opinion it is because ninety-nine percent of the time something is on their conscious. A conscious was God given meaning that there for Dimmesdale is constantly feeling bad begging for forgiveness from God. God is very forgiving and it is written that Jesus died on the cross to cleanse us of our sins. My interpretation of this means to me that Dimmesdale repenting with his whole heart will be forgiven. If one is inline with God I feel that they are redeemed.
There are cases in the bible where it says if one is to sin against the people or the church then he must confess in front of those he sinned against. However, I do not feel that Dimmesdale?s and Hester?s sin did not hurt anyone other than Pearl and possibly Chillingsworth who all ready knew what had happened. This is my religious look on it from a Lutheran?s eyes. However if one is Catholic they may view this differently. They feel that they need a middle man or one to confess to so that they may bring the matters to God. Personally I feel that the repenting should be done between the sinner and God. A middle man, or another sinner, should not be involved.
It is very obvious that Hester and Dimmesdale both feel very bad in their hearts for what they have done. This leads me to fully believe that they will never repeat this act again. Or judicial system works to reabilitate and correct criminals so that they will not be a threat to the communities well being or repeat the crime. It is obvious that neither of the two will repeat the crime or threaten anyone in the community.
There are many examples of their shame and sorrow deep in Hester?s and Dimmesdale?s heart. That of Hester?s that struck me the most was how she talked of how the scarlet letter was forever on her heart not just on her chest. This represents that Hester feels bad deep down for what she has done and knows her ?A? is a sin, not just a reminder when she is in Public. Hester thinks about her scarlet letter even at her home, meaning that she has deep sorrow for it above and beyond the castigation. Dimmesdale?s heart felt sorrow and shame is unmistakably evident. Not only does Dimmesdale feel the burden upon his heart so heavy that he can not keep his health, he feels it even in the shadows of his heart. So much is Dimmesdale plagued by this sin that his heart finally can not bare anymore and fails to serve him leaving him dead on the scaffold. If this is not heart felt I do not know what is nor shall I ever.
My finally reason for believing that Hester and Dimmesdale have redeemed themselves is the fact that they pay more than what the just or fair punishment would be. This sin in Dimmesdale?s heart stops him from being a great and infamous man in one of the most prominent cities in the New World. Dimmesdale is very talented and due to one bad decision enormous amount of his talents are wasted. Dimmesdale did not even reach half the fame or glory that he was meant to have. Eventually all the sin with some evoking from Chillingsworth lead Dimmesdale to death in what almost is a case of capital punishment. There is not many punishments worse than capital punishment. Hester is for ever burdened and serves time and pain for her crime. She is constantly being taunted by Pearl but she does not have the pride to be able to tell her the truth. This results in a very adumbral relationship with her daughter. Not only is Hester mocked by her daughter by she also has to face societies ugly and hypocritical face everyday and catch what ever they might fancy to throw at her. During Hester?s life, she had so much love to give. Due to the crime she committed she was separated from her husband. Society took her true love away, being Dimmesdale. This left a women like Hester who had so much love to give with no one to love. In the end Hester dies more or less alone. She pays for her crime ten times over then more in every way of life.
These are the three major reasons that I personally feel Hester and Dimmesdale have redeemed themselves. As I have stated I feel redemption should be reached through repentance to God and by carrying out the punishment justly appointed. If one feels the need for redemption of Hester among the people that was also obtained in my opinion. For did not the people almost forget what the ?A? even stood for? Hester became one to give back to her community not take. There is nothing more the two may have done to show or express their sorrow and grief which in my mind redeems them.