Does Hawthorne condone or condemn the adultery of Hester and Dimmesdale in the novel?
Hawthorne never explicitly condones or condemns adultery in The Scarlet Letter. Rather, he puts his focus on the punishment that results after committing the act of adultery, which one may possibly consider to be Hawthorne’s approach of condemning adultery. He describes a woman that been branded by her act of adultery as an infamous label. On the other hand, Hawthorne also includes a slightly contrasting punishment where a man carries the burdensome secret of adultery on his soul. Hawthorne also incorporates several other symbolic characters that allow him to address consequences of adultery and sins.
Hawthorne takes Hester’s act of adultery to put a label on her as if it has become a trait of her being. Hester cannot escape the wrath of the “Scarlet Letter, so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom” (The Prison-Door). Unfortunately, the Scarlet Letter ends up isolating Hester and puts her “out of ordinary relations with humanity, and inclos[ed] her in a sphere by herself” (The Prison-Door). However, after seven years of wearing the Scarlet Letter, Hester still cannot escape its stigma. When she finally makes the liberating decision to take it off, Pearl does not recognize her until Hester takes “up the scarlet letter, and fasten[s] it again into her bosom” (The Child at the Brook-side). Although Hawthorne may sympathize with her because of the severity of her punishment, I don’t think he ever condones her act because of that. Hester’s punishment is social rejection for her act and carrying around the stigma on her bosom.
Dimmesdale’s inherent characteristics are marred by the act. He carries around a burden that “burns in secret” (A Forest Walk). Dimmesdale claims “much of the truth would save” him because he can only continue to conceal the secret for so much longer (A Forest Walk). Even Dimmesdale’s physical health has deteriorated where he trembles and has “turned pale as ashes” as a result of his secrets (The Minister in A Maze). Dimmesdale is only liberated when he reveals his secret right before his death. He even cries out “Thou hast escaped me!” and “My God forgive thee” (The Revelation of the Scarlet Letter. His punishment is carrying the burden of his sins as a secret upon his heart, continuously aware of his hypocritical acts, until his secret is revealed and thus causing his death.
Chillingworth is mentioned because of how deeply he is affected by the adultery that results in the growth of his own sins. He becomes so obsessed with revenge on Dimmesdale and Hester’s act that after Dimmesdale dies, Chillingworth seems to have loss “all his strength and energy” (Conclusion). His sin in revenge causes him to lose himself where “he positively wither[s] up, shrivel[s] away, and almost vanishe[s] from mortal sight” when he no longer can take revenge (Conclusion).
Pearl, also very important because of how she is symbolic to what was created after Hester and Dimmesdale succumbed to their act of adultery. But, she is also the “visible . . . tie that united them” (The Child at the Brook-side). However, Hawthorne still states that Hester and Dimmesdale’s act of adultery is “an evil deed [that] invests itself with the character of doom” (The Child at the Brook-side). In that instance, Hawthorne definitely implicitly condemns the couple's adulterous act.
Hawthorne never explicitly condones or condemns adultery in The Scarlet Letter. Rather, he puts his focus on the punishment that results after committing the act of adultery, which one may possibly consider to be Hawthorne’s approach of condemning adultery. He describes a woman that been branded by her act of adultery as an infamous label. On the other hand, Hawthorne also includes a slightly contrasting punishment where a man carries the burdensome secret of adultery on his soul. Hawthorne also incorporates several other symbolic characters that allow him to address consequences of adultery and sins.
Hawthorne takes Hester’s act of adultery to put a label on her as if it has become a trait of her being. Hester cannot escape the wrath of the “Scarlet Letter, so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom” (The Prison-Door). Unfortunately, the Scarlet Letter ends up isolating Hester and puts her “out of ordinary relations with humanity, and inclos[ed] her in a sphere by herself” (The Prison-Door). However, after seven years of wearing the Scarlet Letter, Hester still cannot escape its stigma. When she finally makes the liberating decision to take it off, Pearl does not recognize her until Hester takes “up the scarlet letter, and fasten[s] it again into her bosom” (The Child at the Brook-side). Although Hawthorne may sympathize with her because of the severity of her punishment, I don’t think he ever condones her act because of that. Hester’s punishment is social rejection for her act and carrying around the stigma on her bosom.
Dimmesdale’s inherent characteristics are marred by the act. He carries around a burden that “burns in secret” (A Forest Walk). Dimmesdale claims “much of the truth would save” him because he can only continue to conceal the secret for so much longer (A Forest Walk). Even Dimmesdale’s physical health has deteriorated where he trembles and has “turned pale as ashes” as a result of his secrets (The Minister in A Maze). Dimmesdale is only liberated when he reveals his secret right before his death. He even cries out “Thou hast escaped me!” and “My God forgive thee” (The Revelation of the Scarlet Letter. His punishment is carrying the burden of his sins as a secret upon his heart, continuously aware of his hypocritical acts, until his secret is revealed and thus causing his death.
Chillingworth is mentioned because of how deeply he is affected by the adultery that results in the growth of his own sins. He becomes so obsessed with revenge on Dimmesdale and Hester’s act that after Dimmesdale dies, Chillingworth seems to have loss “all his strength and energy” (Conclusion). His sin in revenge causes him to lose himself where “he positively wither[s] up, shrivel[s] away, and almost vanishe[s] from mortal sight” when he no longer can take revenge (Conclusion).
Pearl, also very important because of how she is symbolic to what was created after Hester and Dimmesdale succumbed to their act of adultery. But, she is also the “visible . . . tie that united them” (The Child at the Brook-side). However, Hawthorne still states that Hester and Dimmesdale’s act of adultery is “an evil deed [that] invests itself with the character of doom” (The Child at the Brook-side). In that instance, Hawthorne definitely implicitly condemns the couple's adulterous act.