Hester Prynne has an affair in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter because her unconscious desires are repressed. Freud refers to this as the id. Arthur Dimmesdale also struggles with internal guilt. He refuses to admit his sin and tries to rationalize his thoughts. This is the ego. Salem is a superego. This is the part of the psyche that restricts one’s behaviour to conforming to social norms. Hawthorne portrays the moral limits of society as being misguided. He praises Hester for being able to transcend these boundaries. Specifically, an analysis of each character’s actions–Hester’s climb back into society, and Dimmesdale’s cowardly self-loathing–reveals a markedly different personality in both, tying back to Hawthorne’s belief of the society’s hypocrisy.
Hester is banished from society because of her affair. Hawthorne praises Hester’s passion and drive, as well as the psychological component she represents: the id. Hester tells Roger what he knew already when they first meet after Roger’s arrival: “I did not feel love nor feigned it” (Hawthorne 54). Hester is immediately justified by the author, who also establishes Hester’s credibility and honesty with “nor feigned” (Hawthorne 53). Hawthorne’s sympathy for Hester is evident in the first scene, which describes her escaping from her cell. Her subconscious rebellion against societal constraints is fueled by the letter she wears. Hawthorne says the letter is “her passport” into areas where other women have not ventured, suggesting it gives her freedom to determine her own morality and not let society dictate what she should do. He also describes her as having a “mind of native activity and courage,” and glorifies it once more (130). Hester was able to explore’regions of her own’ by living away from the society. Salem’s moral restraints are a direct result.
Hester’s creativity as well as her desire to alter meaning of Letter is manifested in her sewing. Hawthorne claims that Hester’s “rich, voluptuous Oriental characteristics” were reflected in her sewing. She had a taste for beauty, but it was a taste she could not find anywhere else in life. Hawthorne contrasts Hester’s confident appearance in the beginning of the novel with her current situation. She has been expelled from society and is left with few options. Hester’s dismal state is bolstered by adjectives such as “rich” and “voluptuous”. Hester’s reputation is regenerated so quickly that she is able to regain her former glory. Her work is now considered a “fashion” and many people believe the letter A stands for “Able”. Hawthorne’s expression of appreciation for repressed thought is because it represents the individual’s real lust for forbidden love.
Dimmesdale experiences internal guilt as he avoids confession. Hawthorne portrays Dimmesdale in this way, despite the fact that he is often attributed with the traits of a hypocrite. Hawthorne claims that in more than one instance, the Reverend has a sense of being watched. Dimmesdale’s guilt is evident in this story. While Hester has accepted the entire blame for her adultery publicly, Dimmesdale had been hiding the truth without being able to communicate it. His guilt is manifested as an ‘eye’ that follows him. It is Dimmesdale who imagines the eye, which represents Roger Chillingworth, who constantly watches over the Reverend. Hawthorne shows the dangers of this rational thought by using Chillingworth’s evil vigilantism. Dimmesdale is trying to avoid confronting himself publicly because it would damage his ministerial position. He thus undermines ego’s role, that part of the mind which has no ‘evil thoughts’ or repressible ones. Dimmesdale is also known to be “pale” and hold his hand over the heart whenever he feels agitated. Chillingworth was the one who observed Dimmesdale and had found a mark that could be considered a scarlet mark on the Reverends chest. This leads us to believe that Dimmesdale is trying to cover up the red mark. Hawthorne’s use of specific phrases such as a “peculiarly anxious temperament” is sarcastic. It criticizes Dimmesdale’s ego and praises his id. Hawthorne presents Dimmesdale in this way: as a coward. He tries to contain his internal conflict with rational thought, but ultimately, it affects him negatively because he dies out of guilt.
Hester Prynne represents the id, while Arthur Dimmesdale represents the ego. Hawthorne portrays repressed emotions as positive and honest through her reintegration in society and her respect despite the sin. Dimmesdale, on the other hand, is plagued by guilt for not confessing his sin. Hawthorne critiques the Puritan Society, which represents the superego. This part regulates the behaviors of an individual according to moral standards imposed by their surroundings. Hawthorne clearly believes that Salem’s morals and beliefs are based on a false foundation. Dimmesdale being accepted by his community and church members ignoring his adultery furthers this belief. Hawthorne maintains that the morality of society has been wrongly interpreted by portraying Dimmesdale in a negative light. His actions, though sometimes excused, are often justified because of his naivety. Hawthorne also believes in the hypocrisy in Puritan culture, which is revealed in a psychoanalysis of Hester Prynne.
