Arthur Dimmesdale
The Scarlet Letter
The physical, mental, and emotional description of Arthur Dimmesdale
Arthur Dimmesdale is described in many ways throughout this novel. He is young, pale, and physically delicate. He has large melancholy eyes, a tremulous mouth, and is greatly sensitive. He is an very intelligent and religious man. His biggest mental problem is that he cannot disclose his sin because of the guilt he is feeling and he claims himself a hypocrite. He believes that the more he lets his guilt sit, the better his sermons will be and that God will just bring him peace because of the wonderful things that he is doing for his community.
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Arthur Dimmesdale's interactions with others around him
He acts first-class and holy around the community and that's the way they have always thought of him. He doesn't claim Pearl as his own in public, but he does when they are in private. When they sentence Hester to jail for adultery, he lets her take all the blame and acts like it is all her fault. The times he reveals his sin is usually in front of just Hester and Pearl. The only ones that he interacts with are Hester and Pearl mostly, because they know the real him. He wants to claim Pearl, but isn't sure how to make it clear. Hester is taking all the blame and he wants to take some of it so Hester gives him so advice to think about. He begins to think about coming clean and getting peace with God about the situation.
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