He realizes that he must look within himself for the strength to overcome his perplexing guilt when Chillingworth discovers his plans to go to Europe with Hester and Pearl. With this knowledge, he preaches his last sermon. He steps forward with such confidence and bravado that Pearl and Hester do not recognize this man. Dimmesdale's speech was very powerful in how he directly connected with Hester as he spoke. For example, Hawthorne wrote, "Hester Prynne listened with such intensity, and sympathized so intimately, that the sermon had a meaning to her entirely separate from its indistinguishable words." Hester felt good about Dimmesdale when he addressed her subtly during the speech. In this sermon Dimmesdale is redeeming himself somewhat. He knows his bad nature all too well, and when he speaks he feels he can ease his guilt by helping others. At the end of the sermon, Dimmesdale reveals his sins on the platform for all of Puritan society to know while holding Pearl's hand. Ultimately, he reveals that while there may be evil in him, he is good at heart. Now, after a tragic passing, Dimmesdale lies with his heavenly god knowing fully what it means to live a "half life" in the Puritan world.