Chillingsworth Character Traits

Felix Gomez
Stoltz 4A
English 11
April 26, 2023

Chillingsworth Character Analysis
Every book needs a villain. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel set in Puritan New England, The Scarlet Letter, it is the evil, cold Roger Chillingsworth - a deformed physician dead-set on revenge against the father of his wife’s bastard child. Although adultery is a serious sin and a crime in Puritan society, Chillingsworth sins are exceedingly worse than Hester and Dimmesdale’s. While the lovers consistently mean no harm throughout the book, Chillingsworth is always intent on physical and mental harm. Chillingsworth - cold like his name - is a prime example of psychopathy, as he has zero regards for others and relishes in the suffering of those he dislikes. He

Chillingsworth is described as less attractive than a typical man of his time, and certainly less attractive than the gentle, handsome Dimmesdale. He is also a cold and negative person. Due to these traits, there would be plenty reason for him to have a turbulent self-image. Although Chillingsworth does not know who Hester’s new lover is, he assumes that the man is more capable and worthy than himself. Otherwise, why would Hester have chosen him over her husband? He fails to recognize the circumstances of the situation - Hester being left alone in America while he was still in England, and her not knowing if he was even still alive or not - blaming Hester’s disloyalty solely on himself and the other man. He is extremely self-absorbed, believing that his shortcomings were the reason Hester was with another man. He also sees Hester as a prize to be won, an object for him to possess. This is part of the reason why he focuses on uncovering and destroying her lover

Hawthorne uses Chillingsworth’s relatively one-dimensional character to display the impact of the individual on society rather than the impact of society on the individual. Chillingsworth seems unaffected by society and its norms, embracing his cruelty and psychopathic tendencies instead of repressing them. His negative effects on the world are more severe than the world’s negative effects on him. Chillingsworth represents pure evil, mainly psychopathy and self-absorption. He is a symbol of hatred and evil, seeking complete destruction of others rather than justice or seeking what is morally right. Hawthorne also uses Chillingsworth to highlight the dichotomy between the two mindsets of “good” and “evil”. While Hester and Dimmesdale never meant to cause harm to anyone in pursuit of their love, Dimmesdale specifically sought it out in pursuit of his