The Scarlet Letter
Chapter Seventeen
Entry Forty-One
Chapter Seventeen emphasizes definitely the difference between public and private sin. Hester stands for the public part, Dimmesdale for the private suffering. She, who had been put down by the Bostonians ends up being strong. All the contemptuous and scornful glances made her feel enough hate to eventually be srtonger than everyone else. In this hard time she only had herself (and Pearl, but she couldn't talk to her) as a friend so she learned to live on her own. All the negative experiences of the past seven years made her hard enough to look forward now and to know what she wants and what not: She wants to start her life all over somewhere else along with Arthur and Pearl.
Dimmesdale, on the opposite suffers in silence and unnoticed from the Puritans. He plays the strong and all-knowing pastor who has always a good advice for his parihioners. But pretending having nothing to with Hester's sin and having to deny his daughter makes him perish. He punishes himself for his weakness which this makes him getting even weaker.
He can't make the best of the situation like Hester does because he has never felt the harsh rejection from an entire society.
No comments:
Post a Comment