Chapter Seven
In Chapter seven, Hester is going to visit Governor Bellingham’s mansion. She is going to deliver gloves she embroidered and find out if Pearl may be taken away from her. On the way to go to the mansion, Hester and Pearl are attacked by a group attempting to throw mud at them. Pearl retaliates and scares them off. Once at the mansion, they find out that they want to take Pearl away because she is suspected to be a demon child and they want to take her away from Hester for Hester’s sake. They also think that she should be taken away from Hester because they think Pearl could use a better parent. Either way, they want to take away Pearl. Hester is not very fond of this reasoning. The mansion is described as having the style of English aristocracy. In the house, Pearl notices a shiny armor suit and is fascinated by it. When Hester sees her reflection in the armor, she notices that her scarlet letter takes up most of the reflection. That was a symbol of how her sin takes over her life. Chapter Eight
This chapter opens with Governor Bellingham who is at the governor’s hall with Dimmesdale, Chillingworth and Mr. Wilson. Hester arrives and tries to argue with the men in hopes that they will let her keep Pearl. She tries to explain to them that she can teach Pearl many things with the Scarlet Letter. So, Bellingham tells Wilson to examine Pearl but pear won’t go near the man and escapes out the window. After some more pleading to maintain custody of her daughter, Dimmesdale finally decides to support her argument. When Hester and Pearl are leaving, Mistress Hibbins asks Hester if she is going to meet the devil in the forest that night but Hester says she cannot because she must watch over Pearl. Chapter Nine
Chapter nine is basically about Chillingworth and Dimmesdale. Chillingworth has been accepted into the community because of his medical background and the community’s lack of medical access. He is sometimes referred to as “Leech.” Chillingworth chose Reverend Dimmesdale to be his spiritual guide. Dimesdale’s health began to deteriorate. He refused to take medicine even with the gradual deterioration of his health. Chillingworth then became the medical advisor to Dimmesdale. Both men move in together into separate rooms in a widow’s home. An important detail is in Dimmesdale’s room containing tapestries showing scenes of adultery. Chillingworth’s room contains a lab that was sophisticated for the time period. Although Chillingworth was considered a miracle in his arrival, rumors around town begin to circulate about how he may be a devil. It is suspected that he has come to have a battle for Dimmesdale’s soul. |
Chapter Ten
Chillingworth is digging into Dimmesdale’s soul for answers. The author makes it very clear that Dimmesdale is oblivious to the close enemy that is Chillingworth. Chillingworth then probes into Dimmesdale’s thoughts by talking about hidden secrets. Hester and Pearl just happen to walk by while the men talking and Pearl begins to throw burs at the window that Dimmesdale is sitting behind. Pearl then begins to characterize Chillingworth as the devil. Later, Chillingworth pushes Dimmesdale to admit his ailment is a disease of the soul. The two have a verbal quarrel but then make up soon after. After the two men had made up, Chillingworth sneaks into Dimmesdale’s room and looks at his chest and sees something that excites him but what Chillingworth sees is a mystery to the reader. Chapter Eleven
Dimmesdale is now recognizing Chillingworth with distrust. Dimmesdale is suffering in this chapter because he ignores his feelings. His suffering causes him to deliver powerful sermons that talk about sin. He wants to be able to confess his sin, but he cannot gather the strength and bravery to do so. By not confessing, he starts to keep himself up at night and seems to have gone off his rocker. He even starts to have visions. In one of his visions, he is on the scaffold with Hester and Pearl. Pearl points at Hester’s scarlet letter and then points to Dimmesdale’s chest. This part is significant in identifying Dimmesdale’s sin. After this, Dimmesdale begins torturing himself under the guilt of his sin. He whips himself and holds vigils in which he stays up all night pondering over his sin. Dimmesdale then decides to hold a vigil on the scaffold that Hester was on. This vigil leads into the next chapter’s events. Chapter Twelve
On a foggy night, Dimmesdale sleepwalks to the scaffold. He climbs up onto the scaffold and lets out a loud shriek. He then tells the town to come see him there but his screaming did not wake anyone up. The only person that it did wake up was Governor Bellingham but he sees nothing and goes back to sleep. Dimmesdale sees a far off light and begins to worry but it turns out to just be Mr. Wilson coming back from praying for the dying Governor Winthrop. Mr. Wilson does not end up noticing Dimmesdale. As morning approaches, Dimmesdale sees that Hester and Pearl and invites them up onto the scaffold. When Pearl asked if he would reveal the secret, he promptly said no. Then, a bright meteor flies by and creates the letter A in the sky. Pearl then spots Chillingworth who offers to take the minister home. The next morning, Dimmesdale gives a good Sunday morning sermon. After the sermon, someone returns a glove of his that was found on the scaffold and they ask him if he saw the A in the sky the previous night but Dimmesdale says no. |