Adultery, in societies around the world, is believed to be one of many major
transgressions. Penalties for adultery sometimes include death or imprisonment, along
with guilt suffering. In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, adultery is a
blunder made by Arthur Dimmsdale, a famous minister in Boston. Reverend Dimmsdale
suffers greatly from his guilt which causes him to be very emotional and punish himself;
although, his sermons during this time were profoundly motivational.
Arthur Dimmsdale suffers from many emotions after committing adultery: two of
which being grief and guilt. First, grief occurs because he knows he has done wrong but
cannot change it. For example, Dimmsdale says "Of penance, I have had enough" (129).
In this passage Hawthorne uses the word "penance" meaning that Dimmsdale shows
sorrow for his wrong doing. Similarly, guilt also occurs within Dimmsdale. In many
instances Reverend Dimmsdale confesses he is a sinner too, but his congregation thinks
even more of him. "They heard it all, and did but reverence him the more.
Consequently, his grief and guilt of his sin was overwhelming.
Next, even though Arthur Dimmsdale is a pastor, his self-discipline fizzles from
time to time and prevails the rest. The pastor, unwed to Hester, loves her and conceives a
child with her but punishes himself later for it. First, shortly after Hester tells Dimmsdale
who his physician really is, evidence of their love is revealed. "What we did had a
consecration of its own. We felt it so! We said so to each other" (131). It is now known
that Hester and the reverend had love for each other. Furthermore, after Dimmsdale and
Hester fall in love, they are once again defeated by sin and have a child. Again,
Reverend Dimmsdale's self-discipline plunders in a moment o
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