Redemption In The Scarlet Letter

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Redemption Of Sin
“The snow covers many a dunghill. A snowy white profession covers many a foul heart! The sins of professors are more odious. Thistles are bad in a field—but worse in a garden. The sins of the wicked anger God—but the sins of professing Christians grieve him” ( The Great Gain of Godliness 1). That is to say that no matter the person sin is considered sin even when it comes to professing Christians such as in the novel, The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne about an entire town in puritan New England has learned of Hester Prynne's sin of adultery. Her husband Chillingworth comes to find her in the new world and finds that she has committed adultery and bears a child named Pearl. Hester must now attempt to conceal …show more content…
The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne contains the theme of consequence of sin with the possibility of being publicly humiliated such as Hester or with the hardship of living with the guilt …show more content…
However, his different treatment of the situation that being his neglect of the truth led to his crime of adultery lingering long enough for it to bring him physical pain. Hawthorne writes of Dimmesdale's attempt at coping with the pain of his sin by reporting, “ Mr. Dimmesdale was overcome with a great horror of mind” (223). Because Dimmesdale did not accept the consequences of his lustful offense immediately, he is punished by the guilt he must carry with him everyday. Dimmesdale also practices physical penance in an attempt to redeem himself as Hawthorne reveals , “ In Mr. Dimmesdale’s secret closet, under lock and key, there was a bloody scourge” (217). Dimmesdale sees this as one of the few ways he can redeem his sin.
In conclusion, The consequences of sins such as adultery are often a life of guilt as Dimmesdale faces or more likely if one confesses, a life of shame and humiliation as Hester first faced. Both characters must live with ridicule. For Hester this ridicule comes in the form of others. For Dimmesdale it is from himself and from his penance for what he has done. Sin will eventually catch up with a person and end in terrible consequences, regardless of if they are a professing Christian or
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