Following her conversation with Dimmesdale on the scaffold, Hester is shocked by the changes in him. While he seems to have retained his intelligence, his nerve is gone. He is morally weak, and she can only conclude that “a terrible machinery had been brought to bear, and was still operating on Mr. Dimmesdale’s well-being and repose.” Hester decides she has an obligation to help this man.
Four years have gone by, and Hester’s position in the community has changed: She has been given credit for bearing her shame with courage, and her life has been one of purity since Pearl’s birth. While Dimmesdale’s sermons have become more humane and praised because of his suffering, Hester’s position has risen because of her charity. Her scarlet A now stands for “Able.” But this has come with a price: no friends, no passion, no love or affection.
Through adversity, Hester has forged a new place for herself on the edge of Puritan society. In contrast, Dimmesdale’s mental balance has suffered greatly. Now she must help the man who seems to be on “the verge of lunacy.” In fact, she feels it has been an error on her part not to step forward before. So she resolves to speak with her husband.
