"The Scarlet Letter"--Write a short essay in which a classical villain functions to develop the main theme of the novel.

<Tab/>In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale serves as both the protagonist and villain to display the hypocrisy of Puritan society as well as the pain that hypocrisy causes. Hawthorne, who was so disgusted with his Puritan ancestors that he changed his own last name (by adding a "w"), wrote the novel as a direct criticism of the Puritan society at its worst, using Dimmesdale as a tool for …

…Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale's prominent role as the villain serves to develop the hypocrisy of Puritan society. The attitude expressed by Dimmesdale is that of a hypocritical Puritan minister, who preaches to "do as I say, not as I do." While everyone has sin, it is up to oneself to make the decision about what to do with that sin; a decision that has an overwhelming impact on the rest of one's life.