The Scarlet Letter: Dimmesdale – Purification by DeathAlthough The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is above all the story of an adulterous woman atoning for her sin and conquering the badge that brings him spirit torment, the quest for the partner in his sin, Arthur Dimmesdale, is no less important and even more painful. His quest, stated simply, is to glorify God through his priesthood and atone for his sin of adultery - to save his soul - while protecting his reputation. To do this, he tries to continue day after day to accomplish the work of the Lord that he loves so much, while relegating to the darkest and most secret corners of his heart the crime that he hates so much. Only in private does he torture himself for both his original sin and his continued deception. He almost fails in his quest to become a holy man, as the horrible act he committed almost kills him due to self-hatred and illness of the spirit. Ultimately, however, he manages to overcome his fears of humiliation and triumphs, publicly repenting of his misdeeds and outright dying of his soul. It is only well known in The Scarlet Letter that Arthur Dimmesdale is Hester Prynne's lover, but by this point his conscience has already begun to inflict a terrible punishment on his spirit: “His form became emaciated; his voice...contained a certain melancholy prophecy of decadence; he has often been observed... putting his hand on his heart with it. ..paleness, indicative of pain" (106). Although his reputation is impeccable and his parishioners believe that through death he must be called to a higher plane of existence, Dimmesdale speaks with what is believed be of humility that his imminent death is "due to his own unworthiness to fulfill his mission here on earth" (106), this marks the beginning of a critical and fatal duality of Dimmesdale's character: the. The public believes that he is a saint, while Dimmesdale knows that he is the most vile of sinners. His refusal to confess his wrongdoing only aggravates his guilt, symbolized by his rapidly deteriorating physical condition. to hide his sin, letting it fester in the dark It is at this point that Roger Chillingworth, doctor and husband of Hester Prynne, enters Dimmesdale's life. Chillingworth's duty is to administer a. medical treatment to the sick clergyman In doing so, however, he notices a strange quality in Dimmesdale's character which leads him to suspicion...