A is for Alibi In The Scarlet Letter, Arthur Dimmesdale, one of the main characters, has declining health from which he, at the end of the novel, unfortunately dies. The readers of the novel were left to decide the reason for both Dimmesdale's declining health and death. Based on observations, many readers conclude that the reason for Arthur Dimmesdale's declining health and death was the overwhelming guilt he had augmented from being unable to confess his sins. However, Dr. Jemshed A. Khan in his article A is for Atropine argues that the cause of Dimmesdale's deteriorating health was the result of atropine poisoning. Dr. Khan also claims that this poisoning was accomplished through the agency of a certain physician, claiming that Dimmesdale
…show more content…
Khan argues that atropine and it's affects were well known to Hawthorne at the time The Scarlet Letter was written. Although this may be true, his argument is flawed because he only knows the atropine's affects; nothing else. Through research, it became clear that it would have been almost impossible for Chillingworth to get his hands on atropa belladonna, the plant from which atropine is obtained. Atropa belladonna is native to parts of Europe and Asia, but in can also be cultivated in North America. It grows best under shade, and if it is cultivated out in the open, it won't be in best shape. Chillingworth is usually seen gathering herbs out in the open, and preparations in cultivating atropa belladonna take many months making it impossible for him to have gotten his hands on atropine. Also, if atropine was the cause of Dimmesdale's declining health, why did Dimmesdale walk with “energy,” and there why was there “no feebleness in his step” (Hawthorne 213) towards the end of the novel? It was because he knew he would be free at last. If atropine was really the cause of Dimmesdale's declining health, then his symptoms should have led up to his death. This shows that Dr. Khan's lack of knowledge of the drug atropine and inability to look at the small, but crucial, clues that identify the real cause of Dimmesdale's death makes his argument
Khan argues that atropine and it's affects were well known to Hawthorne at the time The Scarlet Letter was written. Although this may be true, his argument is flawed because he only knows the atropine's affects; nothing else. Through research, it became clear that it would have been almost impossible for Chillingworth to get his hands on atropa belladonna, the plant from which atropine is obtained. Atropa belladonna is native to parts of Europe and Asia, but in can also be cultivated in North America. It grows best under shade, and if it is cultivated out in the open, it won't be in best shape. Chillingworth is usually seen gathering herbs out in the open, and preparations in cultivating atropa belladonna take many months making it impossible for him to have gotten his hands on atropine. Also, if atropine was the cause of Dimmesdale's declining health, why did Dimmesdale walk with “energy,” and there why was there “no feebleness in his step” (Hawthorne 213) towards the end of the novel? It was because he knew he would be free at last. If atropine was really the cause of Dimmesdale's declining health, then his symptoms should have led up to his death. This shows that Dr. Khan's lack of knowledge of the drug atropine and inability to look at the small, but crucial, clues that identify the real cause of Dimmesdale's death makes his argument