"'She will not Speak!' murmured Mr. dimmesdale, who, leaning over the balcony, with his hand upon his heart, had awated the result of his appeal. He now drew back with a long respiration. "Wondrous strength and generosity of a woman's heart! She will not speak!'" (The Scarlet Letter, chapter 3, Page63)
The fact that the minister is so overwhelmed with the fact that Hester would not speak out the name of the father of her child really struck me. It was in such stark contrast with the passage earlier in the chapter where he is pleading with her to give the name.
Of course, Dimmesdale has a very personal vested interest in whether she is going to speak. Later in the novel, we'll learn of a connection between the hand he places on his heart and the scarlet letter.
Posted by: Dennis G. Jerz at September 12, 2005 11:37 PMI thought from reading this quote that he was more relieved that she didn't speak the father's name than moved.
Posted by: Leah Davis at September 13, 2005 10:01 PMHester is very strong. I wondered what I would have done in the situation and i believe i would have not spoken the father's name. I was caught. I would not want to condemn another. She chooses not to give them name. Why? hummmm i have no idea why she wouldn't, but i can only imagine what i would do. Maybe later in the book we will get some more information about the release of the name. Probably what effect it has on the father.
Posted by: michelle koss at September 14, 2005 08:25 PM