CH 9-11

Chapter 9, “The Leech'', describes the physical degeneration and enunciation of the young minister, Dimmesdale, from an unknown disease. Hawthorne implies that this disease may be the guilt that plagues Dimmesdale for his adultery by noting that the pain emanates from his heart. Hawthorne writes, “He turned into regularly determined, on any moderate alarm or other surprising coincidence, to position his hand over his heart with first a flush after which a paleness, indicative of pain”(1772). The mention of Dimmesdale's heart as the source of pain imparts to the reader that the disease is of his soul, but also that the ailment is his guilt of adultery; the heart is where the sinful scarlet letter is adorned on Pryne. Hawthorne employs Dimmensdale’s mysterious disease as a broader commentary on the parasitic nature of private guilt. 

The title of Chapter 9, “The Leech”, bestows importance to the name “leech” that Chillingworth is called during the chapter. In the beginning of the book, Chillingworth was not a blatant antagonist. He lived with the Indians, whom the Puritans regard as savages, and learned their natural medicine; he was initially a slight departure from the draconian and intransigent Puritan society. However, his characterization as a leech shows the way in which his herbal, natural Native medicinal practice is corrupted to be parasitic. The way in which his physical appearance deteriorates as he- like a leech- purports to be healing Dimmesdale but in actuality is draining him of his vitality by antagonizing his guilt is a broader commentary by Hawthorne on the destructive nature of vengeance on not just the victim but also the avenger. 

In Chapter 10, Chillingworth’s leechlike characterization and behavior continue. The most striking part of this chapter, however, was when Pearl adorned her mother’s scarlet letter with burs. This act reminded me of the crown of thorns that Jesus wore and was ridiculed in, and of the initial description of the church with iron spikes that in Chapter 1 invoked the punitive nature of Puritan society ironically juxtaposed with holy crucifixion. The burs likely represent the antagonisms Pryne faces from the townspeople as a result of her scarlet letter. Pryne does not remove the burrs; she has accepted the thorns of her sin. By Pearl next throwing burs at Dimmesdale, which he dodges, Hawthorne not only indicates that he secretly shares Pryne’s sin but also that he has not faced its consequences. 

Chapter 11 shows Dimmesdale entering a state of extreme diseased guilt; he flagellates, fasts, and deprives himself of sleep. He tries to escape his guilt by a partial sermon confession, but the almost sanctification he wins from his congregation for his self-proclaimed sinfulness when they know of no outright sin only inflames his diseased guilt further; Hawthorne thus employs dramatic irony to pin sole responsibility for the inflamed guilt on Dimmesdale himself.