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Chillingworth's Use Of Characterization In Scarlet Letter

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The development of characters and their specific attributes is the only insight the reader has about a character. In this way, an author can choose what to include about a character, and what to leave up to the reader to interpret. Characterization is arguably the most powerful literary tool an author has. Unlike reality, an author can present information to the reader from the point of view of the character, as well as other characters point of view of a certain character. All the different inputs about a character create one general theme for a book. Through the characterization of Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth, Hawthorne promotes the idea that hidden sin can be a destructive force. The most destructive hidden sin may be vengeful sin because, not only is revenge a sin, but it also fuels sinful actions. In the case of Chillingworth, his wife, Hester, was guilty of adultery. Upon his late arrival, Chillingworth declares that he will find the man responsible. “He bears no letter of infamy wrought into his garment, and thou dost; but I shall read it on his heart. Believe me, Hester, there are few things... few things hidden …show more content…

Holding a secret is certainly hurting Reverend Dimmesdale. “About this period, however, the health of Mr. Dimmesdale had evidently begun to fail” (Hawthorne 107). His health is so far affected that the townspeople notice his health is declining. Soon enough he is appointed a physician, Chillingworth, who is there to improve Dimmesdale’s health. Instead, Chillingworth constantly hints at his suspicion and adds to the reverends guilty conscience. Dimmesdale carries this hidden sin to the end of the book when he finally reveals it. “Thou too, hast deeply sinned” (Hawthorne 233). Right after he confesses to his hidden sin he dies. The effect of hidden sin is reoccuring and ends in death or

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558 Words | 3 Pages

Hester wants to reveal the secret, but Chillingworth wants to keep it concealed in order to torture Dimmesdale even more (Hawthorne, 1994, pp. 118-119). This shows the devious aspect of his character. The association between Chillingworth and Hester transitions from a professional to personal relationship as the truth of Chillingworth’s real intentions comes to the

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561 Words | 3 Pages

It is revealed that there is something on Dimmesdale’s chest after the physician, Roger Chillingworth, moves aside Dimmesdale’s shirt revealing his chest; (Hawthorne 78) the reader is then led to believe that there is something important about this interaction. The mark, again, is not directly stated so the reader does not know what the mark is. The mark is finally beginning to show itself, so the guilt is starting to work its way outward. At this point there is no way that Dimmesdale will be able to hide his shame forever. Over time the guilt will continue to build up and eventually will consume

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505 Words | 3 Pages

Other examples of Chillingworth's villainous acts consist of his hidden identity, his guilt trip use towards Hester, and overall his relentless pursuit for revenge. In the actions taken by Chillingworth he swayed the outcome of the novel. Chillingworth is the long lost husband of Hester Prynne. Hester's affair during his time away, forced him to make a secret identity. Chillingworth's identity affects the way a lot of things happen in the novel.

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727 Words | 3 Pages

In the novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne tackles the issue of hiding sins by using Dimmesdale and Chillingworth as pawns to portray his view on sinful secrets. Dimmesdale’s main argument relies on divine powers, while Chillingworth focuses on nature in his argument. Dimmesdale argues that sometimes people want to confess their sins, but cannot because they fear they won’t be able to redeem themselves, so instead of confessing, they just leave their secrets for the divine powers to reveal. While Dimmesdale and Chillingworth are talking about the man from the grave, Dimmesdale points out the fact that “‘he earnestly desired [to reveal his sin] but could not’“ (123). He is able to state that so easily because the man he is actually

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582 Words | 3 Pages

“Why, then, had he come hither? Was it but the mockery of penitence? A mockery, indeed, but in which his soul trifled with itself. He had been driven higher by the impulse of that Remorse which dogged him everywhere” (Hawthorne 138) here dimmesdale can 't face the justice of what he has done wrong which is why the author called him a coward and is the reason why he kept his secrets because he is a coward to admit it to and face the consequences which is why later the guilt of keeping them eats him from the inside.

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1210 Words | 5 Pages

While Dimmesdale and Hester are discussing how guilt and sin have affected them differently, Dimmesdale states, “‘Happy are you hester that wear the scarlet letter openly upon your bosom! Mine burns in secret!’” p 131. Dimmesdale compares the way Hester deals with her sin to the way he deals with his. Hester has be open about her sin to the point at which she reveals it on her bosom as the scarlet letter, whereas Dimmesdale keeps it in secret as the guilt boils up inside him.

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811 Words | 4 Pages

All readers have come across the stereotypical character who is charming, good-looking, and the savior of the story and our hearts, but that is present in commercial fiction. In literary fiction, characters are something greater and deeper. In literary fiction, characterization is considered one of the most important elements in an author’s work. Characterization is the concept of creating a character.

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523 Words | 3 Pages

Dimmesdale changes his views on the repentance of sin throughout the The Scarlet Letter, especially during the beginning, when he is in denial; middle, when Chillingworth makes Dimmesdale turn obsessive of his sin; and end, when

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584 Words | 3 Pages

Originally, the minister Dimmesdale had been a stable, respectable man of God; but as the story progresses, he is reduced to a life of pain and penance, walking around the world with “a hand over his heart”. The weight of DImmesdale’s sin has taken it’s toll upon his soul, and his guilt is consuming him. As of the? point in the story where Chillingworth opens up and discovers what is beyond Dimmesdale’s robes , we know what lies under Dimmesdale’s hand, on his chest we see a constant reminder of his greatest sin. Along with discovering what, assumed as self-punishment, is on Dimmesdale’s chest the readers also learn that Dimmesdale truly does feel bad for his sins and wants to repent. The protagonists are not the only people that change within

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354 Words | 2 Pages

Dimmesdale dealt with the shame in very peculiar ways. He puts his hand on his chest and at some point in the story, he fasts. He created his own hell. Furthermore, he hid the truth from everyone. This is because Dimmesdale wanted to maintain his positon in society.

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1270 Words | 6 Pages

Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne exposes the blindness of the Puritan people through the treatment of Hester, Chillingworth, and Dimmesdale’s external characters. Hester Prynne is labeled as an adulteress and mistreated by society because of their unwillingness to see her true character. Chillingworth, the husband of Hester, leads the town to believe he is an honorable man and skillful doctor, when his true intents root from his vindictive nature Finally, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, Hester’s lover and the father of her baby, acts as the perfect man therefore the town views him as an exemplar model, while he is truly a sinner. In the novel, Hawthorne portrays Hester as a strong, resilient woman, though the members of her community

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665 Words | 3 Pages

He thus typified the constant introspection wherewith he tortured, but could not purify, himself" to never forget what he has done (141). To him, it is a bad thing that Hester is shown publicly as a sinner, but people forget that. What is far worse than public shame is his own inner shame that he feels constantly and privately. Knowing what only he and Hester know, the secret eats away at him and drives him close to insanity. Eventually leading to his very public death.

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1404 Words | 6 Pages

Dimmesdale’s sin was the most unholy and dangerous of all those presented in the novel, and affects those around him to such an extent as to make their lives worse than they would have been if he never existed. Although Dimmesdale was a devout protestant, he still believed that God would never forgive him and that he would live without the grace given to the women that Jesus saved on the Mount of Olives in

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686 Words | 3 Pages

As the moving of story, the “side effect” of the hidden sin has reveal. Dimmesdale become more sick and powerless. As the end of the story, Dimmesdale concede the sin and died as the winner of the fight with hidden sin. Dimmesdale as a combination of saint and sinner, his sin is not committed adultery, but it is that he cannot face the sin and admit it. He wanted to be all perfect in the eyes of the masses, but destroyed his perfectly in the eyes of God.

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693 Words | 3 Pages

Utilitarianism is the theory that we should always try to bring about as much happiness as possible. It is hard to argue against the value of being happy, but critics are quick to point out that we value many other things as well. (Sir Bernard Williams, Rachels, 2010, p. 40) For me, this subject can be quite a tough one, and I will be honest, it is seriously causing me to think. The best way I can think of is this.

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