The Scarlet Letter Plot Summary and Character Fates

Hester Prynne: The Scarlet Letter and Public Shame

Hester Prynne, an adulteress, is released from prison. She is led to the gallows, where she must endure public shame for having committed adultery. Hester is required to wear the letter 'A' on her dress at all times. She has sewn a large scarlet 'A', giving the letter an air of elegance and defiance. Hester takes Pearl, her daughter, with her. On the scaffolding, she is asked to reveal the name of Pearl's father, but she steadfastly refuses.

Roger Chillingworth's Vow of Revenge

In the crowd, Hester recognizes her long-lost Amsterdam husband, Roger Chillingworth. Despite the public humiliation, Hester protects Pearl's father from punishment by refusing to renounce his name. The arrival of Hester Prynne's lost husband spreads through the city, though he remains in disguise. Once she is back in prison, Chillingworth appears and orders her to keep his true identity a secret so that he can carry out his infamous plan to seek and avenge her lover. Hester agrees to this pact.

The Psychological Torment of Arthur Dimmesdale

Hester's husband introduces himself to the townspeople as a doctor named Roger Chillingworth. Being highly intelligent, he quickly realizes that Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is the likely father of Hester's baby. Chillingworth's next step is to stalk and observe the minister day and night. The minister is too afraid to publicly confess his sin, but he suffers immense guilt, compounded by the constant examination of Chillingworth. Dimmesdale also experiences physical pain, perhaps related to a strange red mark on his chest. This psychological torment continues for seven long years.

The Final Confession and Character Fates

Finally, Hester realizes that her husband has been engaging in severe psychological manipulation against the man she loves. She reveals Chillingworth's true identity to Dimmesdale. They devise a plan to settle in England and create a new life together. However, Dimmesdale ultimately recoils from this plan and confesses his sin to the townspeople on the scaffolding. In a dramatic final act, he tears open his shirt to reveal the mark on his chest, just before he dies.

The fates of the remaining characters unfold:

• Chillingworth's Death: About a year later, Chillingworth dies, leaving all his money and property to Pearl.
• Pearl's Future: This inheritance allows Pearl and her mother to finally leave the restrictive Puritan community and return to England to build a new life.

Hester's Return and Legacy

Years later, Hester returns to the colony, resuming the scarlet letter of her own free will, having transformed its meaning from shame to strength. When she dies, she is buried near the minister, and they share a grave marked with the letter "A".