Essay The Scarlet Letter and Prynne Confess

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“People say…that the Reverend Master Dimmesdale, her godly pastor, takes it very grievously to heart that such a scandal should have come upon this congregation.” While Hester is standing in front of the town with Pearl, a woman says this, unaware of the intimate relationship between Reverend Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne. The reader comes to know that Dimmesdale is the one whom Prynne had an affair, and is the father of this illegitimate child. It is complete irony when they call him “godly” for he has committed an unforgivable crime in this community. There would be no scandal without Dimmesdale.

“Good Master Dimmesdale…the responsibility of this woman’s soul lies greatly with you. It behooves you, therefore, to exhort her to repentance, and to confession, as a proof and consequence thereof.” The Governor is putting the fate of Hester Prynne into Dimmesdale hands. Bellingham believes that Dimmesdale can have Prynne confess who her partner is sin is. They want her to repent and confess who the father of the child is, so that he may be punished with her. All the while, the man they are trying to find is Reverend Dimmesdale. It is Dimmesdale’s responsibility to have Prynne confess, all while hoping that she denies. For is she confesses, he must stand beside her on the scaffold and be punished for the same crime.

“There goes a woman…who be her demerits what they may, hath none of that mystery of hidden sinfulness which you deem so grievous to be borne. Is Hester Prynne the less miserable, think you, for that scarlet letter on her breast?” The irony in this passage is that Chillingworth and Dimmesdale believe that Prynne could be less miserable, while wearing the scarlet letter. It is ironic that she would be the less miserable of the two. Prynne must wear the letter while the town mocks and ridicules her for her mistake. She is
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