In response to our in-class definition for the two terms, penance and penitence, used in The Scarlet Letter, I did a little research. After staring at the entries on dictionary.com and getting no clearer picture than we had already reached in class, I decided to take a more direct approach and google "penance vs. penitance" in the hope that someone had already written an article about the subject.
In the very first link, I found an article that suggests that we were interpreting the lines incorrectly:
"You have deeply and sorely repented. Your sin is left behind you, in the days long past. . . . Is there no reality in the penitence thus sealed and witnessed by good works? ... No, Hester, no! ... Of penance I have had enough! Of penitence there has been none!" (Hawthorn 188).
We interpreted it to mean that the two words were completely separate in their meaning, and indeed we finished the discussion in class asking how it even was possible to have one and not the other. On the other hand, the writer of the article says that Hester's use of the word penitence was incorrect, and she was confusing it with penance. Dimmesdale's response is intended to correct her. He's saying that what has happened is penance, not penitance.
Since John Parker, the writer of the article, seemed to have it right so far, I decided to trust his definitions of penance and penitence as well. Penance, he defines as "works one does as punishment for sin and in attempt to atone for sin". Penitence, as he goes on to explain, involves confessing to your crime and repenting for it. Applying this to the story, Hester mistakenly says that the good work he has done has achieved penitence. Dimmesdale corrects her and says that his self punishment and acts of good fall under the definition of penance. He has not yet confessed to the public or repented for it which would achieve penitence.
The article then goes on to say how god is forgiving and everything, you should follow god, and cleanse yourself of all unrighteousness; the usual religious nonsense. I'm an atheist for god's sake (lol, had to include that oxymoron). Anyway, the article is here: http://www.mtjuliet.org/sermons/archives2/002883.html
Feelings are kind of hard to define because everyone is different, and feelings are generally abstract. Penance and penitance can interpreted differently as well, and sometimes words are defined byn the majority of the people, and those who have different views may just be called wrong. But I agree with your analysis, althoug I'm still a little confused.
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