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Hester Prynne In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

452 Words2 Pages

A classic novel filled with guilt, revenge, passion, are just some of the qualities to describe Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. This novel takes place in a Puritan society during the 17th century. The books begins with the introduction of the main character, Hester Prynne. Hester was accused of adultery and was forced to wear a scarlet “A” on her clothes, and was also put to public humiliation. As a result of the committed adultery, she had a daughter named Pearl. Hester had a husband before traveling to the New World. It was said that Hester’s husband was captured by Native Americans so it seemed as though he was out of the picture for good. Little did Hester know that he would be one of the spectators in the crowd. Once her husband was aware of the adultery done by Hester he decides to stay in Massachusetts. He changed his name to Roger Chillington in hopes to discover …show more content…

There they lived a quaint life, with Hester working with her needlework. Pearl suddenly begins to behave strangely. Due to her actions, Hester was threatened that the officials will take away Pearl away from her. Hester in desperate need of help calls toward Dimmesdale. He helps Hester with the situation which leads to Hester remaining with the custody of her daughter. Dimmesdale seemed to be very ill which is why Chillingworth came back. Chillingworth believed that his illness was that of a guilty conscience. He suspected that there was a relation between Dimmesdale and Hester, which proved to be correct. Chillingworth was there for only one reason, revenge against the other man. Now knowing who will be his victim, Hester begins to worry and informs Dimmesdale on Chillingworth’s movies. Hester met with Dimmesdale in the forest and created a plan to travel away and start their family and life away from their lives now. Chillingworth became aware of this plan and took it upon himself to ruin their

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Basically, Chillingworth wants to keep Dimmesdale from confessing of Chillingworth’s pleasure. Through his interactions with Dimmesdale, Chillingworth shows the vengeful aspect of his

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Chillingworth came to Boston to dig up who impregnated Hester. He seemed to have very little interest in Hester, his main goal was to find out the truth about Pearl’s father. As he does this, he twists the mind of Reverend Dimmesdale and becomes toxic. He becomes obsessed with trying to get vengeance on Dimmesdale for impregnating Hester. As the years go on, even the physical

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Therefore, the role Chillingworth obtains influences the plot of the story more so than other characters. Chillingworth seems to be a nice and genuine person throughout the beginning of the novel. He becomes Dimmesdale’s friend and helps take care of him throughout his illness. However, while he is being this nice person on the outside, on the inside he plots revenge against Dimmesdale and Hester.

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1091 Words | 5 Pages

This interaction between infant Pearl and Dimmesdale is significant because Pearl is described as a child who only shows affection towards her family (Hester). As Pearl ages, many Puritans conspire to separate her from her mother. Upon hearing this, Hester visits the governor’s hall to try and persuade him to allow Pearl to remain with her. Hester is ultimately allowed to keep Pearl, not because of her words, but because of the words spoken by Dimmesdale, who convinces Governor Bellingham and Reverend John Wilson. Afterwards, Pearl “stole softly towards him, and, taking his hand in the grasp of both her own, laid her cheek against it” (79).

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833 Words | 4 Pages

Chillingsworth works day in and day out making Dimmesdale sick with work that people will find out what he had done. It's so bad that Dimmesdale starts to do self harm. Chillingworth even goes about so that hester knows what she had done was wrong too and he makes her life like she is walking on

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1003 Words | 5 Pages

At first Chillingworth is portrayed through the introduction as a civil man, almost feel sorry for him for the fact that his wife cheated on him, and that she is now imprisoned, Hester even calls him, “the Black Man that haunts the forest round about [the town],”(Hawthorne 94), however, these words foreshadow the dive to insanity Chillingworth later takes after he sets his sights on revenge. Although Chillingworth’s arrival to Massachusetts is not a happy one, the reader can’t feel bad for Chillingworth because during his conversation with Hester, Chillingworth didn’t approach Hester with the intent on being a good husband, but rather as a physician. The lack of love Chillingworth displays to Hester, sheds light onto the how riddled with guilt Chillingworth really is, the mere opposition to comfort her, provides Chillingworth’s first step towards his mental downfall. Some people may argue that Chillingworth never saw a downfall into his own mental state, and that he was passing the punishment that Dimmesdale had deserved. However, the punishments that Dimmesdale was receiving was more torture than anything else, which exemplifies the civility he has lost.

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(103). Hester believes that with social isolation there is no point to this life she lives in anymore. She has nothing to live for, if it not be her baby, who was a result of her sin, and she begs that they allow her to keep the only thing in the world, in life, that she has left. She believes that her child is the only thing that gives her strength to live through her punishment rightfully, and without her there would be no point in her living in the world. Avoiding the tragedy of losing Hester, who is still thought to be a very vital member of society, the governor and priest both decide to allow her to keep Pearl.

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802 Words | 4 Pages

Chillingworth wants him to live with guilt the rest of his life. Chillingworth doesn’t even love Hester anymore, but he continues to torture Dimmesdale because he wants him to live with guilt the rest of his life. Chillingworth is an evil character that seems worse than Dimmesdale. Even though Chillingworth didn’t commit the crime

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Nonetheless, it will be hard; Hester is steadfast to make her daughter Pearl, have a life, just like any other ordinary child. Hester is a remarkable, but peculiar character,

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He was in agreement with the rest of the town about Hester’s sin. He thought is was wrong and she should be punished. Chillingworth says he is a godly man, but he does not act like one when he seeks revenge on Dimmesdale. Chillingworth transforms into the devil, by the way, he acts towards Dimmesdale, and he takes pride in making Dimmesdale suffer from guilt.

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878 Words | 4 Pages

Hester and Dimmesdale each are equivalent in the sin that they commit, but their lives and fates are different because Hester had to repent for her crimes while Dimmesdale bottled up his guilt inside. The indirect result of Dimmesdale’s concealment of the truth was Chillingworth’s torture, which played a large role in Dimmesdale’s untimely death. Chillingworth snapped when Hester did not reveal Dimmesdale’s crimes. Hester, in part, helped Dimmesdale in

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1646 Words | 7 Pages

Hester was initially married to a man whom she never loved and was thought to be dead after being lost at sea for five years. After waiting for the arrival of her husband which never came, Hester had an affair with another man and together they produced a child. When Hester had an affair with a man who was not her husband she had committed an act of adultery and had to be punished in the eyes of God and of her community. It was decided that Hester would have to serve time in jail and

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550 Words | 3 Pages

When Hester confronts the evil he has done, he asks, "what evil have I done the man?" Chillingworth sees Dimmesdale as the guilty man and believes he has been merciful, sparing Dimmesdale from death. Chillingworth becomes so consumed with vengeance that he is unable to see the evil of his actions. Chillingworth also exclaims, “that [Dimmesdale] now breathes and creeps about on earth is owing all to me!” Chillingworth is so deluded that he sincerely believes that he has saved Dimmesdale from death.

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601 Words | 3 Pages

Because of this, she gets Dimmesdale involved and Chillingworth who we short after find out is Hester's husband. Everything from here begins to get even worse because of Hester and her actions. Hester never

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688 Words | 3 Pages

People learn how to obey since they were children. following other’s leads is something people do until they are grown ups. starting from parents telling them what is right and wrong and ending with job’s bosses ordering them around. people tend to accept laws and follow them because they believe it works for the greater good. Authorities force laws into people to prevent chaotic actions and absurd routines.

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