An Analysis of
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THE MINISTER IN A MAZE
An Analysis of Chapter 20
Tone
The Tone Is Introspective, Filled With Tension And A Disorienting Mixture Of Piety And Temptation, Ending With A Frenetic And Almost Delirious Urgency.
Basic Stats
| Intensity | Clarity | Conflict | Resolution | Pacing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thrilling - (4) | Clear - (4) | Explosive - (5) | None - (1) | Quick - (4) |
Basically...
Reverend Dimmesdale is bewildered by his encounter with Hester and Pearl in the forest, wrestles with fleeting urges to commit sins, and hurriedly returns to town to rewrite his election sermon.
In more detail...
As Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale leaves the forest after his meeting with Hester Prynne and Pearl, he is in a daze, unable to believe the change in his life could be real. They have planned to escape to the Old World following his election sermon in three days. Dimmesdale, energized, hastens back to town, sensing everything as though transformed. He experiences strange temptations to sin against church members and utter blasphemies, only prevented by his self-control and decorum. Encountering Old Mistress Hibbins, he wonders if he inadvertently made a deal with the devil. Upon reaching his home, Dimmesdale battles with the notion that he might have changed fundamentally, feeling disconnected from his previous self. He forces himself to write a new sermon, driven by a frenetic inspiration. Roger Chillingworth visits him, sowing seeds of doubt and offering his services, which Dimmesdale declines. The chapter closes with Dimmesdale completing his sermon as dawn breaks.
Characters
- Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale
- About - After his encounter in the forest with Hester and Pearl, Dimmesdale experiences a crisis of identity and morality. He hastily exits the woods, feels alienated from the townspeople, battles unholy impulses, and spends the night feverishly rewriting his election sermon.
- Personality Traits - Torn between piety and temptation; displays profound inner turmoil and extreme agitation.
- Physical Characteristics - Emaciated appearance, white and pain-wrinkled brow.
- Character Connections
- Hester Prynne - Mutual plan to leave for the Old World; they share a secret bond.
- Pearl - Connected through his encounter with her and Hester in the forest; she symbolizes a facet of his connection with Hester.
- Roger Chillingworth - Chillingworth acts as Dimmesdale's physician, but there is an underlying animosity and suspicion between them.
- Old Mistress Hibbins - Encounters her in the town, suggesting shared knowledge of his secret sin.
- Hester Prynne
- About - Hester is not actively present in this chapter but is mentioned as part of the plan to escape with Dimmesdale to the Old World and remembered by Dimmesdale as he deals with his inner turmoil.
- Character Connections
- Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale - Shared plan to escape; the father of her child, Pearl.
- Pearl
- About - Pearl is also not actively present in this chapter but plays a role in Dimmesdale's reflections as he remembers her dance by the brookside and her connection to Hester and himself.
- Character Connections
- Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale - Part of the impactful encounter in the forest; Dimmesdale recognizes her as his child.
- Roger Chillingworth
- About - Chillingworth visits Dimmesdale under the guise of a concerned physician but with a hidden agenda, likely suspecting Dimmesdale's role in Hester's sin and aiming to exacerbate the minister's suffering.
- Personality Traits - Calculating, manipulative, and revenge-driven.
- Physical Characteristics - Older man, described previously as having one shoulder higher than the other.
- Character Connections
- Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale - His patient, but also the object of his vengeful scrutiny.
- Hester Prynne - Former husband seeking revenge for her adultery.
- Old Mistress Hibbins
- About - Rumored to be a witch, Hibbins has a cryptic encounter with Dimmesdale, slyly referencing his secret forest meeting and hinting at a shared understanding of his moral slip.
- Personality Traits - Crafty, insinuating, and seen as malignant by the townspeople.
- Physical Characteristics - Described as having a high head-dress and rich velvet gown.
- Character Connections
- Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale - Seems to know about his hypocrisy and sin, suggesting a deeper, sinister relationship.