Sin In The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

Everyone has violated either moralistic or religious law at least once in his or her entire lifetime. On the outside, they might be "looking exquisite as new-f all in allen snow while their hearts be all mottle and spotted with iniquity of which they cannot rid themselves."(p.116) Some walk secretly with this levelheaded sin in their heart, while others get shamed in ordinary because their sin is displayed openly. Since these sins are all different, the consequences and the significance may also interchange in importance. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth sins and all of the wrongdoings convert in significance.      The story develops when Hester Prynne commits the sin of adultery. Even though Hesters mistake was goaded by innocent passion for Dimmesdale, the puritans took this well(p)ly. By wearing the scarlet letter A on her chest, the village people look at her as an outcast. The puritans dont look at the sin as an act of love simply instead as the work of the devil. However, Hawthorne makes it so that Hesters sin seems less serious than that of Chillingworth. Hesters sin seems more innocent because it was driven by her affection for Dimmesdale rather than of the intelligence. Her sin can also be considered less serious because Hester is uncoerced to accept her sin and deal with the consequences publicly.      As for Chillingworth, his sin is the manipulation of a sympathetic being. His deathly sin is not committed because he inevitably to, but Chillingworth commits this sin because he wants to. " Never did mortal suffer what Dimmesdale has suffered"(p.150) and its all because of Chillingworth. His only reason for why he is sinning is because Chillingworth wants revenge on Dimmesdale, which is more serious than Hesters sin. Chillingworth actually knows that his actions are bother a human being and thats where the seriou sness of his sin comes in. Unlike Hester Prynne, "He has violated, in raw blood, the sanctity of a human heart. Dimmesdale and Hester, never did so"(p.105) Meaning that Chillingworth blackened sin is actually killing a human being. Even though Chillingworths only intention is to get revenge on Dimmesdale, he is hurting the towns people as well as Hester and garner. By making Dimmesdale weaker and weaker, the puritans are loosing a minister that has always been there for them. Chillingworth is also hurting Hester and Pearl because he is preventing Dimmesdale from being with them.