The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

In his criticism of The florid Letter, Harry Levin discusses the severity of the sins that atomic number 18 committed by Hester Prynne, Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Chilingworth. Although all three main characters fill sinned in the novel, the ruthlessness of their sins is easily identifiable.Harry Levin takes it upon himself to rank the three evildoers in The Scarlet Letter based upon their sins, and the circumstances that surround them. The least severe sinner is Hester Prynne, followed by Reverend Dimmesdale, and the most severe sinner in Levins opinion is Roger Chilingworth. For Hester, Levin states that her affair with Dimmesdale is pardonable (Levin, 10) because the lull in her relationship with Chilingworth was natural, and there was nothing that she could do about it. Her partner in sin, Reverend Dimmesdale, is stated to be an nonvoluntary hypocrite, who purges himself by means of open confession. (Levin, 11) He overly has seemingly been forced into his role, but cigarettenot publicly repent like Hester does by wearing a scarlet letter, or wearing a black veil. Levin continues by say that by Hawthornes standard the Reverend has been more sinful than she has. (Levin, 11) Although it is not discussed in the criticism, the point that Levin makes can be proven in the story when Mr. Dimmesdale is returning from the meeting with Hester in the woods. Dimmesdale is described as being so full of energy, that he decides that he wants to commit 4 sins. Although they are not very severe, the basic antecede is that maybe he really is more evil than he appears. Finally, the crudest sinner in The Scarlet Letter is Roger Chilingworth. Levin describes him in his criticism as follows Chilingworth, whos false name betrays his frigid nature, plays the role of the secret sharer, prying into his wifes illicit affair, sight upon her lover unawares, and pulling the strings of the psychological romance. (Levin, 11) Basically, this means that no bailiwick how th e reader perceives it, Chilingworth is definitely the most evil character in the story. Levin is also quick to say that although Dimmesdale and Hester can atone for their sins, Chilingworth cannot.Harry Levin is correct in his criticisms of the sinners in the novel The Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne is easily the least brutal sinner of all. In the novel, when Hester meets with Chilingworth in the jail, the reader sees that she did not commit her sin without reason.