||Scarlet Letter 5: 107-126||

“To sum up the matter, it grew to be a widely diffused opinion, that the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, like many other personages of especial sanctity, in all ages of the Christian world, was haunted either by Satan himself, or Satan emissary, in the guise of old Roger Chillingworth” (116).

• It is evident that upon Chillingworth’s arrival in the town, he is seen as an angel or someone sent by God to heal Dimmesdale from his illness. However, the townspeople were not aware of the fact that Dimmesdale’s health began to diminish when becoming closer with his personal physician Chillingworth. His health certainly was not improving which caused suspicion to rise among the townspeople. To the townspeople, Chillingworth’s intentions had changed from being Godly to evil. No longer was he thought to have been put on earth to heal their beloved Dimmesdale. Chillingworth was there to torture.
  
  How will the death of Dimmesdale affect Hester?

“But still, methinks, it must needs be better for the sufferer to be free to show his pain, as this poor woman Hester is, than it cover it all up in his heart” (123).

• Through this quote, Dimmesdale reveals the inner battle in which he has been grappling with. Although he does not exactly articulate that it is his predicament, one can assume that it is. Dimmesdale expresses that Hester has much less of the weight of the sin on her shoulders solely because, for Hester, everyone is aware of her wrongdoing and now she must suffer the punishment. On the other hand, Dimmesdale must conceal his secret of having any part in the adulterous act and must simply be a spectator to the torture they are putting Hester through. In expressing this, Dimmesdale is claiming that his situation results in more suffering.
  
  Why doesn’t Dimmesdale tell the truth since he is going to die soon?