Scarlet Letter Report

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Recommended: Analysis of the novel called the scarlet letter

Summary

The novel opens with Hester, the protagonist, being led to the scaffold where she is to be publicly shamed for having committed adultery. Hester is forced to wear the letter "A" on her gown at all times. Hester carries Pearl, her daughter, with her. While in public, she recognizes her husband from Amsterdam, Roger Chillingworth, the antagonist. Chillingworth visits Hester after she is returned to the prison. He tells her that he will find out who the man was. He then forces her to promise never to reveal his true identity. Hester moves into a cottage bordering the woods. She and Pearl live there in loneliness. Roger Chillingworth earns a reputation as being a good physician. He uses his reputation to get into the same home as Arthur Dimmesdale , a minister. Chillingworth eventually discovers that Dimmesdale is the true father of Pearl, at which point he spends every moment trying to make the minister suffer. Hester realizes that Chillingworth is slowly killing Dimmesdale, and that she has to help him. A few weeks later Hester sees Chillingworth picking herbs in the woods. She tells him that she is going to reveal the fact that he is her husband to Dimmesdale. He tells her that she may do as she sees fit. Hester takes Pearl into the woods where they wait for Dimmesdale to arrive. She comforts Dimmesdale as she wants to be friends and tells him Chillingworth's true identity. He is angered, but convinces him that they should run away together. Hester finds a ship which will carry all three of them, and it works out that the ship is due to sail the day after Dimmesdale gives his Election Sermon. However, during the day of the sermon, Chillingworth gets the ship's captain to agree to take him on board as well. After Dimmesdale gives his sermon he unexpectedly walks to the scaffold and stands on it. Dimmesdale calls Hester and Pearl to come to him. Chillingworth tries to stop him, but Dimmesdale laughs and tells him that he cannot win. Hester and Pearl join Dimmesdale on the scaffold. Dimmesdale then tells the people that he is also a sinner like Hester, and that he should have assumed his rightful place by her side over seven years earlier. He then rips open his shirt to reveal a scarlet letter on his flesh. Dimmesdale falls to his knees and dies while on the scaffold.

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