““O, not so!—not so!” continued Mr.Dimmesdale. “She recognizes, believe me, the solemn miracle which God hath wrought, in the existence of that child. And may she feel, too—what, methinks, is the very truth—that this boon was meant, above all things else, to keep the mother’s soul alive, and to preserve her from blacker depths of sin into which Satan might else have sought to plunge her! Therefore it is good for this poor, sinful woman that she hath an infant immortality, a being capable of eternal joy or sorrow, confided to her care—to be trained up by her to righteousness—to remind her, at every moment, of her fall—but yet to teach her, as it were by the Creator’s sacred pledge, that, if she bring the child to heaven, the child also will bring its parent thither! Herein is the sinful mother happier than the sinful father. For Hester Prynne’s sake, then, and no less for the poor child’s sake, let us leave them as Providence hath seen fit to place them!”
“You speak, my friend, with a strange earnestness,” said old Roger Chillingworth, smiling at him.” (111)
This quote is significant because Hawthorne wants the reader to read between the lines. Hawthorne gives Dimmesdale a strong and eloquent but at the same time personal character when defending Hester. There is more than a reverend's duty to help those who come to him for help in young Dimmesdale argument. Hawthorne gives an indirect introduction to Pearl's biological father by having Dimmesdale speak of the "sinful father" as if he knew more than what religion can predict. Furthermore, Chillingworth's recognition of Dimmesdale's strange way of defending Hester also supports the idea of Hawthorne wanting to hint the reader about Dimmesdale's possibility of being Pearl's father.
Q1. Is Chillingworth's interest for helping Reverend Dimmesdale deeper than the basis of his medical experience?
Q2. For what reasons would Reverend Dimmesdale refuse to receive medical help and claims to end his sorrow, sins, and pain once he dies?
Q3. Can religion be blamed for the problems that the characters confront? Why or Why Not?
To your first question, by the looks of it, Chillingworth wants to help the minister not just because it is the ethical thing for a doctor to do, but because Chillingworth has a high curiosity as to the way Dimmesdale thinks. He notices that Reverend Dimmesdale has a more liberal mind than that of his colleagues.
ReplyDeleteTo your third question, religion isn't really to blame in the problems the characters face, probably only in the case of Hester Prynne, but even then only partially. Hester would have still felt guilt from having a sinful child, regardless of religion, eventhough it does help. Reverend Dimmesdale is also facing issues who's root are clearly not religion based, but he has yet to say what is really bothering him.