Final answer:
Dimmesdale reacts with shock, horror, and despair when Hester reveals Chillingworth's identity as her husband in The Scarlet Letter.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Hester reveals Chillingworth's identity to Dimmesdale in the novel The Scarlet Letter, his reaction is one of shock, horror, and despair.
Dimmesdale is devastated to discover that Chillingworth, whom he thought was a trusted friend and physician, is actually Hester's long-lost husband and has been deliberately tormenting Dimmesdale as an act of revenge. This revelation shatters Dimmesdale's sense of trust and security, and he is overwhelmed by guilt for his affair with Hester and for allowing Chillingworth's cruelty to go unchecked.