What Is The Theme Of Guilt In The Scarlet Letter

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Ben Pollizi
Mrs. Hudson
English Comp 1
11 August 2017
Guilt and Confession in The Scarlet Letter In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, a great sin is committed by Arthur Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne, this great sin being adultery. Due to this sin, both of them are plagued with sadness and guilt throughout the rest of the story. The guilt from their sins affects both of them in extremely different ways. Hester is caught in their sin, but Arthur is not. Guilt without confession can lead to dire consequences, and this is extremely prevalent in Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale’s life. The fact that Arthur Dimmesdale gets off free of charge in his sin brings a large amount of guilt into his life. This guilt follows Arthur throughout the whole …show more content…

It is told that a woman carrying a newborn child is escorted out of the prison and into the public town square to be shamed. We learn she has a scarlet letter A embroidered on her bosom, and that this A stood for the fact that she committed adultery. We also learn the name of this woman, which is Hester Prynne. The man whom she committed adultery is unknown to the world, and many people are trying to get Hester to confess who her lover is, but she refused to do so. “And who, by your favour, Sir, may be the the father of yonder babe… which Mistress Prynne is holding in her arms? “Of a truth, friend, that matter remaineth a riddle… Madame Hester absolutely refuseth to speak, and the magistrates have laid their heads together in vain” (Hawthorne 18). No matter how hard the magistrates of the town tried. Hester kept her lover's identity a …show more content…

After Hester Prynne was condemned to live with the scarlet letter, she chose to not let her guilt from her act of adultery consume her. She chose to do her best to prove the fact that the Scarlet Letter didn’t define who she was. She proved she was much more than just an adulteress. “None so ready as she to give her little substance to every demand of poverty, even though the bitter-hearted pauper threw back a gibe in requital of the food brought regularly to his door” (Hawthorne 108). Even though she faced rejection even more when she tried to help, she didn’t let that stop her, she continued to serve everyone, and lived a caring life. “Many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They said that it meant Abel, so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength” (Hawthorne 109). Hester Prynne changed the idea of the Scarlet Letter for the whole

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