The Scarlet Letter, written in 1850 by Nathaniel Hawthorne, contains two very important yet diametrically opposite characters: Arthur Dimmesdale and Pearl Prynne. Through his actions, Dimmesdale represents a soul that is smothered, weakened, and controlled by Puritanical ideals. Pearl, however, represents a spirit that is free, unafraid, and defiant of Puritanic traditions. Together, these two characters stand as foils to each other and are symbolic of two vastly different attitudes concerning Puritan culture in the 17th century. Dimmesdale stands as an image of human weakness, which makes itself known in his physical appearance as well as his cowardice; Pearl takes on the image of freedom from tyranny through her impish ways and blatant disregard for proper behavior. Dimmesdale’s guilt overpowers him to the point of consuming his life and Pearl openly defies tradition and challenges those around her with an unearthly behavior. Dimmesdale and Pearl are representative of opposite views of Puritan culture through their physical appearances, actions, and spoken words.
First, the superficial image of both characters immediately allows the reader to distinguish the melancholy minister from the mischievous child. Dimmesdale is first introduced as having “large, brown melancholy eyes” and an “apprehensive…startled…half-frightened look” (Hawthorne 61). He is further described as a “ghost” and embodies the idea of a monstrous, inhuman form that is tortured by its own ugliness (Hawthorne 130; Smith). Dimmesdale’s guilt, exacerbated by the Puritan community’s elevated view of him as “the mouth-piece of Heaven’s messages of wisdom,” manifests itself in the reverend’s “deep and troubled eyes” because he does not possess the physical or mental strength to combat the terror of Puritan law (Hawthorne 125, 63; Pimple). His fear of public condemnation and social suicide results in a weakened physical form, which deprives him of his most basic tool for battling a foe: his body. Conversely, Pearl’s “gorgeous robes” bear a striking resemblance to her mother’s scarlet letter (Hawthorne 81; Daniels). Pearl’s color, red, is paralleled with the scarlet letter and is used as a symbol of rebellion, for it distinguishes itself from all other colors by its bright and alarming hue (Nudelman). Furthermore, Pearl, “the brightest little jet of flame,” is endowed with “rich and luxuriant beauty that [shines] with deep and vivid tints” (Hawthorne 90). Her appearance, which is totally opposite from the “sad-colored garments” of the townspeople, appears as a startling image of passion, freedom, and deviation from Puritan society’s strict standards (Hawthorne 45).
Second, the actions of both father and daughter present conflicting feelings toward the religion they are both ruled by. As Keneth Pimple states, “Dimmesdale is caught in a dilemma: he values both his social face and his immortal soul, but he cannot save one without losing the other” (Pimple). Dimmesdale’s refusal to stand with his family on the scaffold on the following day is because of his apparent internal conflict: if he stands, he must face public trial and humiliation of a Puritan society; if he bows out, his soul is tormented further by an untold moral guilt which stands as a sin in Puritan culture. Thus, his Puritan ideals conflict with his pride, and he is forced deny his ridiculed family in favor of social security. Pearl, however, remains completely “unmarked by the patriarchy” and, instead of fearing the consequences of her actions, she openly defies the male-dominated traditions of Puritan Boston (Daniels). By committing such social taboos as “snatching up stones to fling at [the children]” and “putting her fingers in her mouth, with many ungracious refusals to answer [a] question,” Pearl becomes the 17th century poster-child for revolt, and even makes “her mother tremble” with fear at her devilish antics (Hawthorne 84 ,99). Even Pearl’s playtime is “something akin to witchcraft” as she “seemed always to be sowing broadcast the dragon’s teeth” (Daniels; Hawthorne 85). Pearl even “sm[ites] down and uproot[s]” weeds which she has imagined are the village children; through planting these familiar characters into her playtime, she is expressing her disapproval and disgust with the people of Boston and their offspring (Hawthorne 85).
Finally, the words spoken by both characters reflect their individual attitudes toward the strict Puritan society in which they live. In a rush of panic and moral crisis, Dimmesdale openly tells Hester in the forest that he is “most miserable,” and that she knows nothing of the “horrible ugliness of this exposure of a sick and guilty heart to the very eye that would gloat over it”: he is terrified by the prospect of revealing himself to a society that will only revel in his humiliation (Hawthorne 166, 169). Dimmesdale is “under the threat of exposure,” and as he pleads for help from his lover, his fear is manifested in his exclamation that he is infinitely weak before the judgment of God: “The judgment of God is upon me…It is too mighty for me to struggle with!” (Hull; Hawthorne 171). In contrast, Pearl’s outlandish outbursts and responses to her mother’s questions defy the social and moral code of Puritan culture. Pearl’s cheerful reply to the question of her parentage results in her answer that she “[has] no Heavenly Father”; this directly and openly denies the fundamental Christian belief that God exists (Hawthorne 88). Furthermore, while standing with her mother below the scaffold where Dimmesdale is perched, Dimmesdale asks Pearl, “Dost thou mock me now?” Her reply is, “Thou wast not bold! – thou wast not true!” (Hawthorne 137). Her answer is a strong weapon against Dimmesdale’s cowardice; his character lacks a backbone and Pearl recognizes that he has not been the image of personal freedom and self-expression among the Puritan people.
The contrast which exists between father and daughter in The Scarlet Letter represents a striking conflict between the suppression and fear-mongering of Puritanism and the rebellion which it sometimes causes. Together, the sullen disposition of Arthur Dimmesdale and the flighty nature of Pearl Prynne become complementary, allowing these figures to stand in equal importance. In both characters, a specific reaction to Puritan culture is personified and built upon so that, eventually, Dimmesdale and Pearl stand as opposites: Dimmesdale as a man who is crushed by fear of Puritan law, and Pearl as a young girl who is fearless of it.
Works Cited:
Daniels, Cindy Lou. "Hawthorne's Pearl: woman-child of the future." ATQ [The American Transcendental Quarterly] 19.3 (2005): 221+. Academic OneFile. Web. 4 Dec. 2010.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. London: Penguin, 2003. Print.
Hull, Richard. "Sent Meaning vs. Attached Meaning: Two Interpretations of Interpretation in The Scarlet Letter." ATQ [The American Transcendental Quarterly] 14.2 (2000): 143. Academic OneFile. Web. 4 Dec. 2010.
Nudelman, Franny. "'Emblem and Product of Sin': The Poisoned Child in The Scarlet Letter and Domestic Advice Literature." Yale Journal of Criticism 10.1 (1997): 193-213. Academic OneFile. Web. 4 Dec. 2010.
Pimple, Kenneth D. "'Subtle, but remorseful hypocrite': Dimmesdale's moral character." Studies in the Novel 25.3 (1993): 257+. Academic OneFile. Web. 4 Dec. 2010.
Smith, Caleb. "Detention without subjects: prisons and the poetics of living death." Texas Studies in Literature and Language 50.3 (2008): 243+. Academic OneFile. Web. 4 Dec. 2010.
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