Chapters 12-14

     Chapter 12, “The Minister's Vigil”, opens with Dimmesdale at the scaffold where Hester was publicly shamed and humiliated years ago. In previous chapters, Dimmesdale is utterly consumed by his own guilt, causing him to inflict several forms of self harm upon himself. Dimmesdale dealt with his extreme guilt internally, trying to reason through it. However, when he stands on the scaffold, he can’t help but scream in agony. The scream reveals the intense torture Dimmesdale experiences in his subconscious mind. Furthermore, the contrast between Hester’s experience at the scaffold and Dimmesdale’s experience demonstrate the major difference between the way in which each of them has been punished for their crime. Hester experienced, and still does experience, public shame, whereas Dimmesdale experiences intense internal guilt that has consumed his entire life. 

    In chapter 13, the reader is introduced to a new side of Hester that had not previously been shown. The view of Hester to the Puritan community and the significance of the letter A has changed considerably. It is described that the letter A now stands for “Able”, possibly suggesting that Hester no longer feels great shame but instead is fulfilled with dignity.  The scarlet letter also is now described as being magical rather than demon like. Hawthorne writes, “There glimmered the embroidered letter, with comfort in its unearthly ray” (146). Through the use of words such as “glimmered” and “comfort”, Hawthorne hints at the idea that the scarlet letter is no longer a bad thing in the eyes of Hester, but instead it is a symbol of power and magic. Yet, Hester lives a life lacking love and affection, “Everything was against her. The world was hostile. The child’s own nature had something wrong in it, which continually betokened that she had been born amiss” (149). Hester is continuing to live a life full of guilt, and she worries that it is because of her sins that Pearl is amiss.  

    Finally, in chapter 14, the inner thoughts of Chillingworth are revealed. It is clear that in the past seven years, Chillingworth has been consumed with his desire to seek revenge against Dimmesdale. This obsession has transformed him from a kind man to nothing but the devil. He exclaims to Hester, “I have already told thee what I am! A fiend!” (156). Not only does Chillingworth admit to being evil, he also expresses to Hester that he feels that she is not entirely sinful. He states, “I pity thee, for the good that has been wasted in thy nature!” (156). This chapter reveals a lot about Chillingworth, and almost causes the reader to pity him. These past years have affected his character significantly, and there is no way he could ever return to his past self.