The Priest’s Confession-The Struggle And Rebirth Of Dimmesdale Under The Halo Of Priest

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) is one of the greatest writers of American literary history. He is one of the most outstanding American romanticists in the nineteenth century as well as one of the founders of American literature. The Scarlet Letter is generally regarded as the highest achievement in Hawthorne’s literary career. Since the novel was published, it has attained much attention in American literary field. Dimmesdale, as one of the most important characters in this work, has long been the focus of literary criticism.Hawthorne is a contradictory writer in nature, for he holds a contradictory feeling towards his habitation, his ancestors and Puritanism. On one hand, he hated all these three elements and he even tired to sever his connection with them by moving away from his hometown, changing his family name and attacking the harsh doctrines of Puritanism. On the other hand, Hawthorne was shaped by all the three elements. They had already been part of him and therefore it was impossible for him to break away from them. Hawthorne was imaginative in writing but not apart from his life and his belief. His work was based on his experience and his feelings. Hawthorne projected his contradictory feelings on his literary creation. Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter is a typical example. Through Dimmesdale’s experience and struggle, we can also sense Hawthorne’s struggle with his identity of his habitation and Puritanism.Dimmesdale, under the severe constraints of Puritan doctrines, has long restrained his humanity and inner self to perform his holy duty as a respected priest. Since the sin he commits with Hester, Dimmesdale has been in torture and struggle. This paper analyzes Dimmesdale’s psychological progress on the basis of his confessions and struggles. Dimmesdale’s progress is divided into three phases that are the early awakening of his humanity, the struggles between his persona and his true self and the ultimate confession of his sin. The psychological analysis is conducted under the persona theory of Carl G Jung, the founder of analytical psychology. Finally, through the psychological progress, Dimmesdale breaks his persona and the constraints of Puritanism and comes to a full awakening of his humanity. Through redemption of his sin, Dimmesdale performs his holy duty as a clergyman and gains the purification of his soul.Dimmesdale, as a respected priest in such a highly religious region-New England, under the huge confines and constraints of Puritanism, undergoes a long and tough struggle and finally makes an ultimate confession and repenting. Through Dimmesdale’s struggle with his sin, we can see Hawthorne’s attitudes towards Puritanism. Dimmesdale earns back his clean conscience not by breaching religious doctrines but by complying with the essence of Christianity that is the confession and repentance of sin. Through the final confession, Dimmesdale completes the redemption of his sin, the awakening of his humanity and the overcome of his weakness. In fact, The Scarlet Letter is not Hawthorne’s accusation of Puritanism but his affirmation of the power of redemption in Christianity.