# Arthur Dimmesdale — The Scarlet Letter character guide > Arthur Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. **Role:** major **Also known as:** godly Master Dimmesdale, the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale, Mr. Dimmesdale, Master Dimmesdale, poor Mr. Dimmesdale, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, Arthur **First appearance:** 0004-ii-the-marketplace ## Who they are The colony's most beloved young minister, whose eloquence and piety conceal a secret guilt that is quietly consuming him from within. ## Relationships ### [Satan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/satan) _psychological_ Dimmesdale is tormented by Satan as a manifestation of his hidden guilt and hypocrisy. ### [Hester Prynne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/hester_prynne) _romantic_ Former lovers bound by their shared sin and a secret, passionate past. ### [Pearl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/pearl) _family_ Dimmesdale is Pearl's secret father, though he cannot openly acknowledge her. ### [Roger Chillingworth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/roger_chillingworth) _psychological_ Chillingworth psychologically tortures Dimmesdale as his physician and secret enemy. ### [John Wilson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/john_wilson) _professional_ Fellow Puritan ministers who share clerical duties and moral authority. ### [Hester Prynne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/hester_prynne) _romantic_ Former lovers bound by their shared sin and a secret, passionate past. ### [Satan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/satan) _psychological_ Dimmesdale is tormented by Satan as a manifestation of his hidden guilt and hypocrisy. ### [Hester Prynne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/hester_prynne) _romantic_ Former lovers bound by their shared sin and a secret, passionate past. ### [Pearl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/pearl) _family_ Dimmesdale is Pearl's secret father, though he cannot openly acknowledge her. ### [Satan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/satan) _psychological_ Dimmesdale is tormented by Satan as a manifestation of his hidden guilt and hypocrisy. ### [Roger Chillingworth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/roger_chillingworth) _psychological_ Chillingworth psychologically tortures Dimmesdale as his physician and secret enemy. ### [John Wilson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/john_wilson) _professional_ Fellow Puritan ministers who share clerical duties and moral authority. ## In the story ### [The Scarlet Letter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/the-scarlet-letter) The young, revered minister who publicly urges Hester to name her partner, though he is the secret father. ### [II: The Marketplace](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/ii-the-marketplace) Mentioned by a townsman as Hester's pastor who takes the scandal grievously to heart. ### [The Recognition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/iii-the-recognition) Appeals to Hester to speak, but shows inner turmoil and reluctance to force her confession. ### [The Governor's Hall](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/vii-the-governor-s-hall) Mentioned as one of the 'godly ministers' with the governor at the time of Hester's arrival. ### [VIII: The Elf-Child and the Minister](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/viii-the-elf-child-and-the-minister) Speaks in Hester's defense, arguing that Pearl is both a blessing and a retribution, and that the mother-child bond is sacred. ### [IX: The Leech](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/ix-the-leech) The young minister whose health is failing; he becomes the patient and confidant of Chillingworth, unaware of the physician's true motives. ### [X: The Leech and His Patient](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/x-the-leech-and-his-patient) Suffers from declining health and nervous sensitivity. He is unaware of Chillingworth's true motives and continues to confide in him, while secretly tormented by his hidden sin. ### [The Interior of a Heart](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/xi-the-interior-of-a-heart) Dimmesdale is consumed by guilt and self-loathing, yet his public reputation as a holy minister grows. He suffers under Chillingworth's psychological torment and longs to confess his sin. ### [The Minister's Vigil](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/xii-the-minister-s-vigil) Stands on the scaffold in a midnight vigil, shrieks in anguish, and is led home by Chillingworth. ### [Another View of Hester](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/xiii-another-view-of-hester) Hester observes that Dimmesdale's nerve is destroyed and his moral force abased into childish weakness, though his intellect remains sharp. She recognizes that a 'terrible machinery' is operating against him, referring to Chillingworth's influence. ### [XVI: A Forest Walk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/xvi-a-forest-walk) Approaches through the forest, looking haggard and feeble, with his hand over his heart. ### [XVII: The Pastor and His Parishioner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/xvii-the-pastor-and-his-parishioner) Dimmesdale is anguished by the revelation, forgives Hester, but feels trapped by his guilt and duty. ### [XVIII: A Flood of Sunshine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/xviii-a-flood-of-sunshine) Resolves to flee with Hester, experiencing a rebirth of hope and joy after years of guilt and suffering. ### [XIX: The Child at the Brook-Side](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/xix-the-child-at-the-brook-side) Dimmesdale sits with Hester, anxious about meeting Pearl. He expresses fear that Pearl's features might reveal his paternity and is troubled by the child's refusal to approach. ### [The Minister in a Maze](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/xx-the-minister-in-a-maze) Returns from the forest meeting with Hester, experiencing a bewildering array of temptations and a sense of moral decay. ### [XXII: The Procession](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/xxii-the-procession) Appears in the procession as the revered minister about to deliver the Election Sermon; his secret connection to Hester is hinted at by Mistress Hibbins. ### [XXIII: The Revelation of the Scarlet Letter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/xxiii-the-revelation-of-the-scarlet-letter) Publicly confesses his sin on the scaffold, reveals the scarlet letter on his chest, and dies after a final kiss from Pearl. ### [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/xxiv-conclusion) His death on the scaffold is recounted, with various theories about the origin of the scarlet letter on his chest; his grave is near Hester's, but with a space between. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/arthur_dimmesdale - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters