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Character of chillingworth in the novel The scarlet letter
Sin in the the scarlet letter
Theme of adultery in the scarlet letter
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In chapter 4, Chillingworth is brought into the jail to examine Hester’s baby, Pearl. During this time, they talk of things that have happened since they last saw each other a. Most of the conversation is purely informational, and they maintain a surface relationship. This changes, however, when Hester and Chillingworth meet in the woods. They speak on a personal level and of their “promise of secrecy” within their relationship (Hawthorne, 1994, p. 117).
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
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.
When Chillingworth visits Hester in prison, he claims that “his [the adulterer] fame, his position, his life, will be in my hands” (53). Chillingworth makes a vow to Hester that he will find the man who enticed her and will destroy the individual’s life and soul. As the novel progresses, Chillingworth establishes himself as the town doctor and Dimmesdale develops a mysterious illness that perplexes and worries the townspeople. His illnesses leads to Roger Chillingworth becoming his medical advisor, “as not only the disease interested the physician, but he was strongly moved to look into the character and qualities of the patient, these two men...came gradually to spend much time together” (84). Chillingworth takes advantage of the fact that Dimmesdale needs medical attention and establishes himself as a friend, with the intention of finding out personal information about Dimmesdale.
Hester assumes that has has died and has an affair with the minister of her town, Dimmesdale. He later comes back, unharmed and finds out about the affair. He then threatens to get his revenge upon Dimmesdale. Although Abigail and Chillingworth are alike in the way they respond to their affairs, but they differ in why they respond that way. Both Abigail and Chillingworth reacted wickedly to their affairs.
Understanding the character, Chillingworth, depends on what person is interpreting him. If a certain person grew up knowing betrayal in their life, they might sympathize and affiliate themselves with Chillingworth. Others on the other hand may find it generally problematic to understand Chillingworth. He has had a lack of appreciation and does not deserve the hostility that is given towards him. Chillingworth’s transgression was only tormenting Dimmesdale’s wrongdoing and keeping him alive to do so.
Some of the townspeople, apparently including the governor, have come to suspect Pearl of being a sort of demon-child. The townspeople reason that if Pearl is a demon-child, she shou Chapter 4: Chillingworth, the name of which Hester’s husband goes by, meets with Hester in her prison cell as her physician. Unnerved by him, Hester refuses to tell him the name of the lover and calls Chillingworth a possible “Black Man”. While it is not her soul that he plans to seek revenge upon, this scene foreshadows how he will do so indirectly later in the novel. Hawthorne provides a momentary contrast between Chillingworth and the Puritan leaders.
Now, in Chapter 12 after dealing with Chillingworth's remarks and hate towards Dimmesdale, he is evidently fed up with his presence. As he, Hester, and Pearl are on the scaffold and Pearl points towards Chillingsworth. He makes this remark toward Hester, “ ‘Who is that man, Hester?’...’I shiver at him! Dost thou know the man? I hate him, Hester!’
Hester spent her life attempting to make good of the bad that she created. For the rest of the book Hester worked hard and did nothing to hurt others, this makes Chillingworth a worse sinner than
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
When her husband comes back from his 'adventure' he mentally torments Hester and the man who she committed adultery with for their sin. Chillingworth, Hester's ex-husband, turns maniacal and evil, in return for the satisfaction on who Hester cheated on him with. Basically, illustrating the downfall of a cheating relationship between Hester and Chillingworth. Cheating is losing hope for a main relationship, and gaining hope for another, which shouldn't be allowed on any circumstance. One reason why cheating is wrong, is because the pain out weighs the gain.
He disappeared for a period of time and Hester didn´t know if he was even alive. All this time Chillingworth had been captured by Indians and was living with them. When he came back to Boston, Chillingworth finds Hester on the scaffold holding a baby that´s not his and wearing a scarlet “A” on her chest. Chillingworth talks to Hester and asks her who is the child´s father, but Hester refuses to tell him. In that moment Chillingworth swears revenge, but not towards Hester, since he thinks that the scarlet letter and Pearl is punishment enough and that she has received what she deserves.
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
The narrator portrays him as an intelligent but angry old man that does not have any interest in his wife any longer unless it is plotting revenge. One theme in this chapter is something that can slowly destroy people mentally, guilt. The irony that took place in this story is that Chillingworth is trying to find the father of his wife's child. The main theme in chapter three and four is obeying the law of the people and if failed to be done it will end in punishment. Journal Entry 3: Chapters 5-6 For the rest of Hester’s life she will be forced to wear a red embroidered “A” at all times on her clothes.
Everyone remembers being asked in elementary school what they wanted to be when they grow up. Most people said the generic jobs, they wanted to be a teacher, actor, or professional athlete. Most high schoolers don’t even know what they want to be when they graduate, and many college students change their major halfway through college. Schools across the US are now making incoming high schoolers choose a major or “endorsement”, a choice that affects the rest of their classes throughout high school. Students shouldn’t have to choose their major for the rest of their lives the second they begin their high school career.
