Carta Escarlata en Inglés RESUMEN.

Zach Wall

31/3/16

Laura Gimeno Pahissa

North American Literature

Goodness and Freedom in The Scarlet Letter

        Freedom makes up the core of the identity that America prides itself on, however this idealization of free will can contrast sharply with the reality of American society. Nathaniel Hawthorne paints a picture of how freedom actually manifests itself in colonial America in The Scarlet Letter while commenting on its relationship with goodness. The protagonists exhibit freedom and goodness in very different ways, each providing evidence for the idea that our own behaviors are more important than living up to universal ideals. Hawthorne claims that freedom and goodness are individual habits rather than abstract goals to be sought after by showing how Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, and Hester Prynne balance these traits in their own lives.

        Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale represents goodness and morality, revered by his flock and a pillar of the community. His devotion to the people Boston shows through his “eloquence and religious fervor [which] had already given the earnest of high eminence in his profession” (Hawthorne 100) and earned him the respect and trust of the colony. However, Dimmesdale’s feelings of sinful guilt conflict with his commitment to his flock and as a result, starts to suffer “some bodily disease,… gnawed and tortured by some black trouble of the soul” (212). In this sense, Dimmesdale is imprisoned by the Puritan values, Chillingworth’s torments, and his own shame despite being a fundamentally moral man. He sacrifices his freedom by choosing to stay silent about his affair with Hester and internalize his guilt. This private struggle with his own morality is represented by the A on his chest that only he, and eventually Chillingworth, are aware of. This struggle also shows his goodness because he constantly strives to be good, but constantly questions his own morality. The narrator describes Pearl as “a lovely and immortal flower” (133), suggesting that the affair between Hester and Dimmesdale is not something sinful as the Puritans believe, but rather pure and beautiful. Dimmesdale’s fear of abandoning his flock prevents him from confessing until his condition has deteriorated to a point where he requires help just to stand. However, when he stands on the scaffold with Hester and Pearl he “[throws] off all assistance, and [steps] passionately forward” 381 to admit his sin. Dimmesdale’s decision to forfeit his freedom in favor of his goodness ends up killing him, for as he rips off his shirt to expose the A marked in his chest, he dies. Exposing the A symbolizes Dimmesdale’s liberation from his own shame as well as the tortures of Chillingworth, who at the time of Dimmesdale’s admission cries out “Thou hast escaped me!” (382). Dimmesdale’s own actions determine his freedom at any given time. He simply lacks freedom because he lacks the will to simply free himself and confess. He has complete control of his life but his own decisions determine his imprisonment. The same can be said of his morality. He acts according to his values and selflessly contributes to the community at the expense of his health and this makes him a good man.

        Roger Chillingworth’s extensive travels across the globe have rewarded him with vast scholarly knowledge and he appears to have all the freedom in the world. However, the revenge that he so meticulously enacts on Dimmesdale for the affair with Hester clearly demonstrates that he lacks the goodness that Dimmesdale possesses. Chillingworth’s apparent freedom and inherently evil nature seems to act as a foil to Dimmesdale’s strong moral compass and self-imprisonment. However, the freedom that Chillingworth appears to possess reveals itself to be a lie when he dies only a year after Dimmesdale confesses to the townspeople. Similarly to how Dimmesdale is imprisoned by his own guilt, Chillingworth is imprisoned by his singular desire for revenge.  After Dimmesdale’s death, all Chillingworth’s “strength and energy –all his vital and intellectual force-seemed at once to desert him, insomuch that he positively withered up, shriveled away and almost vanished from mortal sight” (388). Chillingworth’s revenge escapes him along with his will to live. Dimmesdale’s death exposes the truth; Chillingworth possesses neither morality nor freedom. He doesn’t strive to be evil, he simply is evil based on his actions and he also sacrifices his freedom by investing his whole life into his revenge. The reader can see that “Dimmesdale’s choice to remain silent and Chillingworth’s choice to act vengefully basically end up killing both of them” (Personal Freedom).  

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