In The Scarlet Letter, what do you think Hawthorne's opinion is of Arthur Dimmesdale, the father of Hester's baby?

Arthur Dimmsdale's name tells the reader something of what
Hawthorne's opinion--as the author--of this character is. The name
Dimmesdale might be approached
analytically from two directions. First though, the name
Arthur carries associations with
it.

Arthur
is not a Biblical name. If Hawthorne had wanted to stress Dimmsdale's spiritual
qualities, he may have chosen a name like Jonah or David or Micah or Daniel etc.,
depending on what spiritual quality he wished to emphasize. The best know association
with Arthur is that of King Arthur in the legend of Camelot (there is now archaeological
evidence linking the legendary Arthur with a true historic figure in England). King
Arthur was noted for his courage, justice and valor.

The
most obvious part of Dimmesdale is
dim, indicating someone who is not so
bright, not acting very much from a clear intelligence. This analysis of the name
certainly fits Dimmesdale. It can be successfully argued with very little effort that
his adultery with Hester was not in the least intelligent; it was very
dim-witted behavior. Of lesser obviousness is the
association with dimness of light and a countryside
dale.

A dale is a valley,
particularly a broad valley. Valleys are very often associated metaphorically and
symbolically with low places in life, suffering, the low ebb of life, whereas high
places such as hill tops are associated with strength and achievement and awakenings. By
this reading, the name Dimmesdale
represents the protracted suffering Arthur Dimmesdale puts himself through and endures
as a self-administered retribution for his dim-witted behavior with Hester. Also the
possessive sound ("Dimmes-") indicates that his dale of
suffering is of his own making, which of course it is.

That
Dimmesdale is coupled with Arthur indicates
that his motive is not one of self destruction (such as
self-inflicted wounds in today's society) but one of valorous
reparation for his wrong actions. But again, since he is
dim-witted as well as valorous, the reader can
question his choices, which must, however, be weighed
against the punishment he would incur if he were to publically
confess.

Putting all this together, it can be said that an
analysis of Arthur Dimmesdale's name indicates that, while Hawthorne is trying to
emphasize the wrongness of Dimmesdale's behavior and the extremely highly questionable
nature of his later choices, Hawthorne's opinion of
Dimmesdale is that he is nonetheless a character of courage and valor with good
intentions and heartfelt regret and remorse and that, even though he wronged Hester and
himself, he truly wishes to atone for the wrong done. The sympathetic
narrator's voice substantiates this analysis of Hawthorne's opinion of
Arthur Dimmesdale.

Perhaps one of the points that Hawthorne
is attempting to make through Dimmesdale's character is that a restrictive
society and belief system, such as the Puritan society and belief system,
leaves little or no room for true repentance that is open and public and therefore
drives true atonement for wrongs committed underground, so to speak, into a
dark dim valley of self reproach and
reparation.