Blogging The Scarlet Letter: Part 11 (Chapters 23 and 24)

We've already arrived at the last Blogging The Scarlet Letter post! Stay tuned for Ramsey's next blog on a classic book.

Chapter 23 – The Revelation of the Scarlet Letter

Well, apparently Hawthorne named his chapters backwards, because as we all know, the scarlet letter was revelated (a word I just made up) all the way back in the second chapter, after that terrible part about the prison door (this is my last chance to complain about that, and I have to make the most of it). So, if you ask me, I would have to say it’s pretty dumb to have a chapter about the revelation of the scarlet letter in the second to last chapter of a book called The Scarlet Let—what’s that? I should read the chapter before I start complaining? Well, I hardly see what good that will do, but if you insist…

Dimmesdale finishes his sermon, which is basically a laundry list of all the reasons God loves New England. He states that God has chosen the people of Boston to lead mankind out of the wilderness, and guess how the people of New England react? That’s right. They love it. After Dimmesdale wraps up, they go on and on about how it was simply the best sermon they’ve ever heard from this guy. Apparently these people are suckers for compliments from God.

Suddenly Dimmesdale comes up with a fantastic idea! Why not invite Hester and Pearl up on the scaffold with him? So with the entire crowd watching, and Chillingworth asking him what the h*ll he thinks he's doing, the two ladies join the reverend on stage. Dimmesdale then calls himself the only sinner of the world. I’m no theologian, but I’m going to bet this is probably inaccurate, and quite frankly, a bit of a lofty claim for a man of the cloth to make.

He tells the crowd that he also has a scarlet letter. He then, in dramatic fashion, tears his clothes away from his chest (already shocking) to reveal a scarlet letter burned into his chest (more shocking, and now I understand the chapter title) which causes Dimmesdale to crumple to the ground (not as shocking as the other two things).

The crowd is stunned, and Chillingworth shouts, “Thou hast escaped me!” which I feel is a little too on-the-nose for a villain to yell. Pearl, who as you recall has been pretty chilly to Dimmesdale (her dad), then kisses him. This would be a photo album moment if it weren’t so traumatic. Hester then asks the reverend if they will spend the afterlife together, and the minister tells her that God will decide.

After Hester and Dimmesdale share this tender exchange regarding their eternal souls, something tragic happens. I'm going to quote the SparkNotes summary of the event, because I appreciate its directness: "the minister bids her farewell and dies.” That's right: Dimmesdale passes away, there on the scaffold.

And that’s what happened in chapter 23.

Chapter 24 – Conclusion

So… I guess we’re wrapping up now. This chapter is kind of like the end of a movie based on a true story, where they show a freeze-frame of the characters and a caption comes up telling you what happened to them. If Hawthorne had the technology to present his final chapter this way, he would have, so I’m going to do it for him here.

The Townspeople of Colonial Boston: Fought for a while about what was on Dimmesdale’s chest. Some said it was a scarlet letter from the minister’s torture of himself, some said it was his guilt trying to escape his body, and some said it was a result of Chillingworth’s poison. Though they never agreed, we can assume that these townspeople would grow up to throw one awesome tea party years later.

Roger Chillingworth: Died in less than a year. BAM! Physician! HEAL. THY. SELF! You just got some sweet, sweet comeuppance. Yeah, that’s a real word. Oh, and also, he left a huge inheritance to Pearl, which was pretty nice of him.

Hester and Pearl Prynne: Disappeared. The story of the scarlet letter became a legend. Then, many years later, Hester returned to live in a cottage and continue doing charity work, still wearing her scarlet letter. When she died, she was buried next to Dimmesdale. But not too close. Because adultery is still a sin in the afterlife. On their headstone there is an engraving of a scarlet letter “A” on a black background.

Which, sure, is symbolic, but man. What a bunch of jerks. The lady just died. She had to deal with that scarlet letter her whole life and now that’s what everyone's going to think about whenever they visit her grave? Come on, people of Colonial Boston. Go throw your tea party and stop being so mean to Hester.

Not classy at all.

Did you miss any posts in the series? They're all collected here.