The Severity Of Sins In The Sc
In his criticism of The Scarlet Letter, Harry Levin discusses the severity of the sins that are committed by Hester Prynne, Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Chilingworth. Although all three main characters have sinned in the novel, the ruthlessness of their sins is easily identifiable.
Harry Levin takes it upon himself to “rank” the three sinners in The Scarlet Letter based upon their sins, and the circumstances that surround them. The least severe sinner is Hester Prynne, followed by Reverend Dimmesdale, and the most severe sinner in Levin’s mind is Roger Chilingworth. For Hester, Levin states that her affair with Dimmesdale is “pardonable” (Levin, 10) ...
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has been more sinful than she has. (Levin, 11) Although it is not discussed in the criticism, the point that Levin makes can be proven in the story when Mr. Dimmesdale is returning from the meeting with Hester in the woods. Dimmesdale is described as being so full of energy, that he decides that he wants to commit 4 sins. Although they are not very severe, the basic premise is that maybe he really is more evil than he appears. Finally, the crudest sinner in The Scarlet Letter is Roger Chilingworth. Levin describes him in his criticism as follows: “Chilingworth, who’s assumed name betrays his frigid nature, plays the role of the secret sharer, prying into his wife’s illicit affair, spying upon her lover unawares, and pulling the strings of the psychological romance.” (Levin, 11) Basically, this means that no matter how the reader perceives it, Chilingworth is definitely the most evil character in the story. Levin is also quick to say that although ...
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"The Severity Of Sins In The Sc." Essayworld.com. October 21, 2006. Accessed June 22, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Severity-Of-Sins-In-Sc/54312.
"The Severity Of Sins In The Sc." Essayworld.com. October 21, 2006. Accessed June 22, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Severity-Of-Sins-In-Sc/54312.
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