Vocab
What does erratic mean?
Erratic: not even or regular pattern or movement; irregular
Does Dimmesdale die at the end of chapter 23?
Yes
After finishing his sermon, is Dimmesdale described as still looking strong and energetic, or does Hawthorne describe him as looking feeble and pale?
Hawthorne describes Dimmesdale as looking feeble and pale.
Vocab: What does Necromancy mean?
Necromancy: conjuration of the spirits of the dead for purposes of magically revealing the future or influencing the course of events
What does Gait mean?
Gait: a person’s manner of walking
How do the people react to Dimmesdale’s election day sermon?
They liked it a lot. Hawthorne describes how the people thought, “never had a man spoken in so wise, so high, and so holy a spirit, as he that spake this day” (Hawthorne 235).
How do the clergy members and officials initially react when Dimmesdale starts to reveal that he committed a sin?
They are so stunned by what is happening, they don’t do anything
Vocab: What does audacity mean?
Audacity: a willingness to take bold risks
What does indefatigable mean?
Indefatigable: (of a person or their efforts) persisting tirelessly or incapable of being tired out
What does the boat captain ask Pearl to tell Hester?
The boat captain asks Pearl to tell Hester that he spoke with Chillingworth, and Chillingworth told him that he will be bringing Dimmesdale with him on the boat
Does Hawthorne explicitly describe what was on Dimmesdale’s chest?
No, he says, "it were irreverent to describe the revelation” of what was on Dimmesdale's chest (Hawthorne 242).
Vocab: What does Apotheosize mean?
Apotheosize: elevation to divine status
What does Repugnance mean?
Repugnance: strong dislike, distaste, or antagonism
When Dimmesdale is walking in the procession, he seems to be stronger and more energetic than before. Does Hawthorne say this strength comes from his body or from somewhere else?
It does not come from his body, but rather from somewhere else. Hawthorne says, “Yet, if the clergyman were rightly viewed, his strength seemed not of the body” and then goes on to list several potential reasons for this newfound strength (Hawthorne 226).
How does the crowd react after Dimmesdale’s death?
Hawthorne describes the crowd breaking out “in a strange, deep voice of awe and wonder” (Hawthorne 243).
Content: Chillingworth says, “Hadst thou sought the whole earth over … there was no one place so secret—no high place nor lowly place where thou couldst have escaped me—save on [blank]” (Hawthorne 240). Where is the place he mentions?
The scaffold
What does Morion mean?
Morion: a hatlike, crested helmet without beaver or visor and with a curved brim coming to a peak in front and in back, worn in the 16th and 17th centuries
After Pearl kisses Dimmesdale, Hawthorne explains that, "Towards her mother, too, Pearl’s errand as a [blank] was all fulfilled” (Hawthorne 243). What was Pearl’s errand?
Pearl’s errand was to be a “messenger of anguish” (Hawthorne 243)
What does Mistress Hibbins (the witch-lady) talk about/tell Hester after seeing Dimmesdale in the procession?
She tells Hester that, when the Devil sees one of his own being so shy to reveal their bond with him, like Dimmesdale is, the Devil has a way of making the persons secrets be revealed to the world
Content: Dimmesdale says, “God knows; and he is merciful! He hath proved his mercy, most of all, in my afflictions” (Hawthorne 243). What are the afflictions he mentions after this quote (name all 3).
1: The mark on Dimmesdale’s chest
2: Sending Chillingworth to “take care” of him
3: Making Dimmesdale reveal to the world what actually happened.