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The Scarlet Letter | A Characterization of the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale

In the following essay, R. Moore explores the character of Arthur Dimmesdale and the guilt that he grapples with throughout the novel.

The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne unfolds its plot during the era of Puritanism, not less than two centuries ago, in Boston, Massachusetts. One’s attention is drawn to the character of the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. As the father of a child, born out of wedlock to Hester Prynne, Dimmesdale is portrayed as a character who, though consumed with guilt for his part in an action which brings ignominy to Hester, is unable to publicly announce his culpability as a partner in this scandal.

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