Roger Chillingworth Quotes

Roger Chillingworth plays an important role to the plot of the novel The Scarlet Letter. He is more of a symbol rather than a main character throughout the entire novel. This is due to the fact that he represents how all Puritans should act, at least on the surface. While he is becoming part of a community, he is also planting revenge on Hester and her lover. At first his plot was to reveal Hester’s lover, but that plot turned him into something more vile and evil than before. 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. He acts as if he is completely innocent, though he is just as guilty as Hester and Dimmesdale. This plot of revenge turns him into a “devil.” “In short, old Roger Chillingworth presented a striking example of how a man who spends enough time doing the Devil’s work can actually transform himself into a Devil” (Hawthorne 55). This quote

Hester is less of a sinner than he is, and so is her lover. There are many different explanations about why Chillingworth is more degenerate than Hester and Dimmesdale. One explanation is that Hester and Dimmesdale made one mistake, and they are both being punished in different ways. Each of them learned from this mistake and in turn became better people. Chillingworth, however, took his plot of revenge and became a very vile person. He thought terrible things every single day to compensate for his revenge. His most obvious sin is that while he was seeking revenge, he sets out to destroy Dimmesdale. “What evil have I done to this man?” (56). He does this by acting as his healer while Dimmesdale is sick from his