The Scarlet Letter #8

"No golden light had ever been so precious as the gloom of this dark forest. Here, seen only by his eyes, the scarlet letter need not burn into the bosom of the fallen woman!" (176-177).

Hester and Dimmesdale are both alone in society. They hold a burden upon their chests that can neither be lifted nor confided in somebody to help lift it. All they have is each other, which poses a problem because their meetings can only be professional. Dimmesdale finally pours out his burdens to Hester and feels a lot better: "Thou littlest know what a relief it is, after the torment of a seven years cheat, to look into an eye that recognizes me for what I am!" (173). When Dimmesdale is with Hester, it is the only time he does not need to put on a false appearance. Likewise, Hester does not feel shameful when she is with him. In other words, they both need each other. This brings out their special bond that Hester and Chillingworth lack. Hester and Dimmesdale will find happiness if they can be with each other, but neither society nor Chillingworth will let that happen.


"The judgment of God is on me. [...] It is too mighty for me to struggle with!" (177).

God will decide Hester and Dimmesdale's punishment, but how can God punish them if all they did was fall in love? The definition of a marriage, according to www.dictionary.com, is simply the union between two people, whereas a wedding involves sentimental connotations. When two people wed, it is because they are in love with each other. Hester unwillingly married Chillingworth. She was even straightforward in telling Chillingworth she did not love him: "Thou knowest that I was frank with thee. I felt no love, nor feigned any" (69). God knows this too because He sees everything. Hester married for the sake of marrying, not because she genuinely cared for Chillingworth or desired it. It is the equivalent of apologizing to somebody without actually meaning it. Just because Hester married Chillingworth, it does not mean she loved him. Society is forgetting that love is the beginning and end of theology. It is not right to punish somebody because they loved. Even if this argument is flawed, Hester and Dimmesdale have both suffered enough to not receive a brutal punishment. Hester was obedient to the consequences she faced, living a lonely, quiet life. Likewise, Dimmesdale physically punished himself and suffered for the good of others. God cannot simply follow a rule book and punish them both just because Hester finally stepped out of her meaningless marriage to be with somebody she truly loved. On top of that, Chillingworth left Hester for three years, without any contact. How can the marriage between Hester and Chillingworth be called a marriage if he is not around? The only thing that would have held them together was if both Hester and Chillingworth were mutually in love, which their relationship lacked. Hester and Dimmesdale know what they did was wrong, but it cannot be helped once one falls in love with another. It is especially difficult when their relationship needs to be hidden from society. The goal of punishing a person is for the sinner to realize the wrong they have committed and both Hester and Dimmesdale have done this.