Step 3: “Happy are you, Hester, that wear’st that scarlet letter openly upon thy bosom! Mine burns in secret!” Interpretation: Dimmesdale wants individuals within society to confess about their weakness instead of keeping them hidden under tight wraps causing them more pain. He then speaks these words loudly and passionately to inspire personal virtue through confession despite its potential consequences.
This quote is given during a moment when Dimmesdale struggles to maintain his composure as he delivers a sermon to his congregation. Step 2: “Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!” Interpretation: Dimmesdale sees himself reflected in Hester’s punishment and realizes that he too will be judged for his sins either by society or by God. This quote reveals that Dimmesdale has tremendous empathy towards Hester’s situation since he feels equally responsible for their sin but cannot bear to publicly confess it. Dimmesdale is standing with other ministers in a balcony overlooking the scene. This quote appears early in the novel when Hester is standing on the scaffold bearing her punishment for adultery while holding her baby daughter Pearl. Step 1: “He (Dimmesdale) goes before me and carries a book-like-burnished mirror, wherein I may see myself as I shall appear on the judgement seat.” In this step-by-step guide, we will provide an interpretation of some key Arthur Dimmesdale quotes. His quotes throughout the novel offer insight into his character and inner turmoil. A beloved minister in the Puritan community of Boston, he struggles with guilt and shame over his secret affair with Hester Prynne that resulted in their illegitimate child. Step by step guide to interpreting Arthur Dimmesdale quotesĪrthur Dimmesdale is one of the most complex characters in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic novel, The Scarlet Letter.
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