What does Hester reveal to Dimmesdale? What is his reaction?
Hester tells Dimmesdale who Chillingworth really is (her husband), at first he is mad then he moves on
. … If Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale reveal who Chillingworth is, Chillingworth will reveal who dimmesdale is (pearl’s father, hester’s hidden lover).
Why does Hester tell Dimmesdale about Chillingworth?
She infers that
Chillingworth is the cause of his weakened state
. Realizing she has allowed this to happen by keeping Chillingworth’s identity a secret, Hester resolves to talk to her husband to try to rescue Dimmesdale from his evil influence.
What secret does Hester reveal to Arthur?
Hester decided to reveal Roger Chillingworth’s secret identity to
Mr. Dimmesdale
because, after her private conversation with Dimmesdale (Chapter 12), she could see that he was on the verge of lunacy, unless he had already crossed over the verge already.
Why does Hester reveal the truth of Chillingworth’s identity How does Dimmesdale react What is your reaction to his reaction?
Hester reveals the truth of Chillingworth’s identity to Dimmesdale
because she wants him to know who his real enemy is
. She doesn’t want him to live blindly with Chillingworth any longer. At first, Dimmesdale is angry and astonished that it has taken Hester seven years to let him know of Chillingworth.
What does Chillingworth do to Dimmesdale and what is his reaction to what he sees?
He then sees
a mark on the man’s chest
. He is thrilled to find what he has been looking for all this time. Now that Chillingworth has the prove that Dimmsdale is the father of Pearl, he can plan his revenge on Dimmsdale. He reacts with joy and dances around when he finds the hidden mark on Dimmsdale chest.
Why did Hester take off the scarlet letter?
For Hester, to remove the scarlet letter would
be to acknowledge the power it has in determining who she is
. … Upon her return from Europe at the novel’s end, Hester has gained control over both her personal and her public identities.
Does Hester still love Dimmesdale?
Hester realizes that she still loves Dimmesdale
, and she courageously tells him this, even as she reveals her silence concerning Chillingworth. Hawthorne contrasts their love — “which had a consecration of its own” — and Chillingworth’s revenge and asks the reader which sin is worse.
How did Dimmesdale punish himself?
Dimmesdale begins to torture himself physically:
he scourges himself with a whip, he fasts
, and he holds extended vigils, during which he stays awake throughout the night meditating upon his sin. … He decides to hold a vigil on the scaffold where, years before, Hester suffered for her sin.
Why does Dimmesdale consider Chillingworth to be the worst sinner of the three?
Why does Dimmesdale consider Chillingworth to be the worst sinner of the three?
Dimmesdale claims that Chillingworth’s revenge has been blacker than his and Hester’s sin
, since Chillingworth “violated, in cold blood, the sanctity of a human heart,” which he and Hester never did (p. 134).
Why does Hester Prynne hate Chillingworth?
Hester is afraid of Chillingworth
because she knows what he is capable of doing
. He is a learned man and has devoted his life to the healing arts. Having been with the Indians, he has added herbs and medicinal plants to his sagacious accomplishments.
Why does Dimmesdale forgive Hester for hiding Chillingworth?
Why does Dimmesdale forgive Hester for hiding Chillingworth’s identity?
He realizes that as a woman, she is weak.
… He realizes that Chillingworth is more to blame than they are. He can’t stand to see Hester upset.
How does Dimmesdale react when he finds out who chillingsworth really is?
Chillingsworth was deceitful, he led Dimmesdale to believe that
he only had Dimmesdale’s best interest at heart
, but he really was acting out an extreme form of revenge. Chillingsworth’s cruelty allows Dimmesdale to briefly feel less pain and guilt.
What emotion does the brook seem to symbolize?
What does the brook symbolize?
Sadness
, people share their secrets in the woods and the brook absorbs them (makes noises because it can’t contain the sadness;) is a boundary because Hester feels safe once past it and is far enough away from the town.
What does Chillingworth see when he finds Dimmesdale asleep?
One day, not long afterward, Chillingworth finds Dimmesdale asleep
in a chair
. Pulling aside the minister’s vestment, he stares at the clergyman’s chest. What he sees there causes “a wild look of wonder, joy, and horror,” and he does a spontaneous dance of ecstasy.
Why do you think Dimmesdale keeps his hand over his heart?
What is Dimmesdale’s idosyncratic gesture? He puts his hand over his
heart to “cover” up his guilt and pain for not admitting to the sin he committed
. He’s trying to hold himself back from not exposing himself.
What do the townspeople think of Dimmesdale?
The majority of townspeople therefore believe that what lies behind Dimmesdale is
his own unceasing labours as their priest
, and that he is so committed to godly acts and study that he is not looking after himself as he should.
