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Leave Boston and go abroad
- After Dimmesdale’s death, and the subsequent death of Roger Chillingworth, Pearl and Hester leave Boston and go abroad. After many years, Hester returns alone and lives quietly in the same cottage she had previously occupied. She still wears the scarlet letter, and becomes a kind of wise woman who other townspeople can come to for advice.
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What happens after Dimmesdale dies?
Did Hester tell Dimmesdale he will meet again in the afterlife?
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What does Dimmesdale say to Hester?
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Dimmesdale, obviously dying now, tells Hester farewell. She asks whether they will spend eternity together. In answer, he recalls their sin and says he fears that eternal happiness is not a state for which they can hope.
Hawthorne hints that her life elsewhere is much happier than it would have been had she married in the New World. The tear she shed at Dimmesdale's death was truly evidence that she would grow up to be humane. And her love and generosity toward Hester are obvious. Finally, Hester's fate ends the book.
Soon after Dimmesdale dies, Roger Chillingworth also passes away. He leaves all of his estate to Pearl, who immediately becomes the wealthiest heiress in the New World. Hester and Pearl then disappear for several years.
While Dimmesdale dies after his public confession and Chillingworth dies consumed by his own hatred and revenge, Hester lives on, quietly, and becomes something of a legend in the colony of Boston. The scarlet letter made her what she became, and, in the end, she grew stronger and more at peace through her suffering.
Hester tells Dimmesdale they will meet again in the afterlife. Though Dimmesdale is not so sure, he dies crying out that God is merciful and thanking Him for putting him through the terrible trials and ordeals that led to this moment, his confession.
