Public vs. Private Shame

I wanted to explore the idea of public shame, such as Hester’s, versus private shame, such as Dimmesdale’s. Which is worse? Hester’s sin is open to the public, and therefore she has to face it head on. She is forced to be reclusive and an outcast for her entire life. Hester is the “bad example,” the person who everyone does not want to be. People are unable to look past her sin of adultery and constantly judge her for it. She is forced to stand up on the scaffold for the mere purpose of ridicule. The ironic part is that Hester is not sure what she did was so wrong. She didn’t love Chillingworth, she loved Dimmesdale. She still thinks “sinful” thoughts and agrees with her punishment.
Dimmesdale, on the other hand, lives with the burden of hidden guilt. His sin was just as bad as Hester’s, yet now it has become worse because he is lying to the public. As an eloquent minister, Dimmesdale is admired by the community as a saint-like figure. If they had known he should have been on a scale with Hester, they would have viewed him completely opposite. Dimmesdale knows this, which is why he is too much of a coward to admit his sins. He is scared of losing everything he has worked for, yet with each passing day the internal pain increases, killing him. The fact that Dimmesdale has to live as if he was not the father of Pearl means he has to lie to himself and everyone else, always. However, because Dimmesdale’s guilty secret is inside, he is treated as if it weren’t present and has to act accordingly. Dimmesdale is therefore the biggest hypocrite of the novel as well. He knows all this, yet refuses to change anything.
Dimmesdale’s private shame means he suffers alone whereas honest Hester, although an outcast, has a few supporters. She is also a trustworthy idol for women who have done, or thought about doing, the same type of thing. They feel comfortable around her and can even seek advice. Hester has Pearl, the blessing that came from the situation, while Dimmesdale is forced to abandon his daughter. His emotional pain is so much that he even whips himself until the physical pain covers up his aching heart.
For them to feel any kid of shame, they must have a conscience sense of right and wrong. Right and wrong is generally decided by the majority. Hester feels her actions weren’t completely unreasonable, while the majority looks to her as the worst possible sinner. Therefore, Hester is forced to be shameful and believe her actions were that of Satan. Dimmesdale, being a minister, knows the Bible front and back. He knows how important his honesty is, yet he is the biggest liar of them all. Because Dimmesdale knows what is right, he understands how wrong his actions are.