At the end of the story he Publicly confesses
and dies.
so what what he like in the beginning of the story?
What was he like in the middle, seven years
later?
At the begiining of the story we have a minister overcome by guilt, who handles his guilt by his pious behavior. He would seem saint like to his congregation, irreproachable. Unfortunately, the trauma from hiding rather than confessing and taking whatever punishment it would involve has eaten him up inside. Ultimately, Hester's punishment is less severe; Dimmesdale couldn't have been punished anymore than he punished himself.
