Written by Sana Dixon
“It is inconceivable, the agony with which this public veneration tortured him! It was his genuine impulse to adore the truth, and to reckon all things shadow-like, and utterly devoid of weight or value, that had not divine essence as the life within their life. Then what was he? - a substance? - or the dimmest of all shadows? He longed to speak out, from his own pulpit, at the full height of his voice, and tell the people what he was. ‘I, whom you behold in these black garments of the priesthood - I, who ascend the sacred desk, and turn my pale face heavenward, taking upon myself to hold communication, in your behalf, with the Most High Omniscience - I, in whose daily life you discern the sanctity of Enoch - I, whose footsteps, as you suppose, leave a gleam along my earthly track, whereby the pilgrims that shall come after me may be guided to the regions of the blest - I, who have laid the hand of baptism upon your children - I, who have breathed the parting prayer over your dying friends, to whom the Amen sounded faintly from a world which they had quitted - I, your pastor, whom you so reverence and trust, am utterly a pollution and a lie!’” (Hawthorne 158).
In chapter eleven of The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes diction, allusion, parallel structure, and visual imagery to convey Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale’s internal conflict between moral instinct and rationale. In the passage above, the Biblical allusion of Enoch illustrates the facade that the public grasps onto with such conviction. In the Bible, God greatly favored a man named Enoch and admitted him into Heaven before his death. In God’s fondness of Enoch, his character is credited with divinity and respect. Similarly, the public “‘...discern[s] the sanctity of Enoch…’” in Mr. Dimmesdale’s daily life, which is supposedly as holy and as favored by God as this old testament figure’s (Hawthorne 158). The dramatic irony that arises due to the public’s misconception contributes to Mr. Dimmesdale’s hypocrisy, which furthers the plot of the novel; it is Mr. Dimmesdale’s own hypocrisy that tortures him, as hearing the “public veneration” arises guilt in his inability to uphold the character the public believes him to be (Hawthorne 158).
Hawthorne’s use of visual imagery depicts the dissimilarity between Mr.Dimmesdale’s physical apparel and the nature of his sin. Mr. Dimmesdale’s “‘black garments of priesthood…’” and “‘pale face’” exemplify the stereotype he has maintained throughout his career as a Puritan minister and preacher, enforcing his image in the people’s eyes. His credibility as a preacher is furthered as he describes how the people figure that his footprints “‘...leave a gleam among [his] eathly track’” (Hawthorne 158). The resounding “‘gleam’” in his footprints, or his legacies, depict him as an angelic, holy figure, possessing righteousness and power that the rest of society respects and looks up to in awe (Hawthorne 158). The visual imagery in the passage above describes Mr. Dimmesdale’s characterization, public image, and the false, unrealistic beauty of his facade; in their worship, the people disregard the fact that Mr. Dimmesdale is human, glorifying him to the extent that Mr. Dimmesdale’s hypocrisy haunts him daily. The external aspects of Mr. Dimmesdale’s character demonstrate his responsibilities as a preacher and the expectations that are upheld for him by the public. The visual imagery utilized in the passage above furthers the people’s misconception of himself, strengthening his guilt and pushing him closer to revealing the truth.
Additionally, Hawthorne’s use of diction in the passage above aids in the expression of Mr. Dimmesdale’s character. Considering Mr. Dimmesdale’s position as a government official and a preacher of Puritan morals, he possesses an “...impulse to adore the truth”, as he adopts a virtuous character throughout his career (Hawthorne 158). The use of the word “impulse” indicates Mr. Dimmesdale’s true nature above all else, including outside influence; the sin of adultery he commits with Hester Prynne, his lover, clashes with his morals, as it is executed during a time in which his values are blinded by passion. As a preacher, he believes that anything lacking the “divine essence of life” to be “shadow-like”, or worthless. However, in his internal conflict, he questions his own value, suggesting that he may be “... the dimmest of all shadows” (Hawthorne 158). The use of the words “shadows” and “shadow-like”, both negatively connotative words, highlight the supposed absence of light in Mr. Dimmesdale’s character, as well as his own crippling self-worth. After Hester’s public humiliation and ostracization, Mr. Dimmesdale’s Puritan values demand that he answer for his sins in a similar manner. In his internal conflict, he struggles between staying true to his Puritan morals and keeping quiet for his and the public’s own sake. Additionally, when Mr. Dimmesdale declares to himself in a metaphor that he is “‘... utterly a pollution and a lie!’”, the use of the word “pollution” shows how his Puritan values cause him to scrutinize his own self-image (Hawthorne 158). According to the Puritan values under this theocracy, sin is seen as a stain in society, dangerous to all; thus, it is dealt with publicly. The fact that Mr. Dimmesdale avoids public punishment shows how he undermines the Puritan justice system and ultimately stands as a danger to society, or a “pollution” to the purity and righteousness that the community preaches (Hawthorne 158).
In the use of parallel structure, the repetition of Mr. Dimmesdale’s supposed virtues followed by the undesirable truth showcases the extent to which his own hypocrisy tortures him, as well as his failure to be the figure the public believes him to be. The fact that the sentences in this example start off with “I, who”, “I, whom”, or “I, whose” showcase how Mr. Dimmesdale finds himself entirely responsible for his own misdoings, revealing a desire to repent for his actions (Hawthorne 158). He does not compromise the truth to shine in his favor; instead, he is brutally honest with himself, and his lack of hiding is evident in the fact that “I” is placed at the beginning of every sentence, then repeated. Hawthorne utilizes juxtaposition in this example of parallel structure as he ends the paragraph with “I… am utterly a pollution and a lie!” to contrast the list of Mr. Dimmesdale’s supposed virtues (Hawthorne 158). Additionally, the use of dashes in between each sentence in the example of parallel structure establishes the fluency of Mr. Dimmesdale’s thoughts and signifies the sense of emotion behind his words, while also adding fluidity to the framework of the parallel structure. The use of parallel structure, coupled with the repetition, contributes to the theme that oftentimes, in Puritan society, punishment follows sin regardless of the means by which punishment arrives. Though Mr. Dimmesdale is not caught by the law or condemned by the public, his own guilt haunts him daily and serves as a self-inflicted punishment. In the passage above, Hawthorne utilizes various literary devices to convey Mr. Dimmesdale’s internal conflict between his Puritan values and his rationale, an internal battle that resembles a tailored Hell for Mr. Dimmesdale.
Sana Dixon is a 17-year-old freelance writer from Nevada. She loves to write while sipping at a cup of hot coco and her favorite thing to do is ice skating. She participates in NaNoWriMo every November, and recommends it for any writer, whether they're just starting out or they have a lot of experience.
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