Hypocrisy In The Scarlet Letter

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Hypocrisy negatively affects both sides involved, whether they know it or not. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s the Scarlet Letter, the nature of hypocrisy is displayed though the characterization and actions of Arthur Dimmesdale, Hester Prynne, and the masses of the Puritan society.
Hypocrisy is seen though Dimmesdale’s refusal to accept punishment for what he’s done, and letting Hester Prynne take the fall. “Hypocrisy is an important element in The Scarlet Letter, exemplified most completely by Dimmesdale's delivery of his most eloquent sermons to his congregation even as he is consumed by the knowledge that he has failed to live according to their rules (Bomarito 3).” Arthur is too worried about letting this incident ruin his reputation, and doesn’t own up to what he’s done. After the pastor interrogates Hester Prynne on the identity of the father of her child, he questions, “What can thy silence do for him, except it tempt him- yea, compel him, as it were- to add hypocrisy …show more content…

In only planning on exacting his revenge on Arthur Dimmesdale, Chillingworth ends up dying himself after the minister dies, draining the physician of evil purpose. After Dimmesdale’s confession, Chillingworth knows he has been beaten. “Thou hast escaped me… thou hast escaped me (215)!” In only blaming Hester Prynne for her sins, the town unknowingly gets bamboozled by the sinful minister, convincing the people that he was pure. In response to Dimmesdale’s “confessions,” they praise him with compliments like “The Godly youth!” and “The saint on earth (125)!” In shunning Hester Prynne from society, they unknowingly banish a talented seamstress who would have much more time to work if she hadn’t been imprisoned. “Her needlework was seen on the ruff of the governor… and the minister on his band… in the coffins of the dead (74).” Despite Hester Prynne’s upstanding character and skill, she is ridiculed as a servant of

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