Hawthorne says that"...there came a glare of red light out of his eyes; as if the old man's soul were on fire, and kept on smoldering duskily within his breast, until, by some casual puff of passion, it was blown into a momentary flame...Chillingworth was a striking evidence of man's faculty of transforming himself into a devil, if he will only, for a reasonable space of time, undertake a devil's office"(226). Throughout the novel Reverend Dimmesdale becomes weak, but in some sick way Chillingworth feeds off of Arthur's guilt. Roger "violate[s] the sanctity of the human heart"(105) when he continues to seek vengeance. Although when viewed as a puritan cityfolk, Chillingworth seems like an innocent physician helping out the defenceless Dimmesdale; but when given a second glance Roger is “... a leech sucking the life from his patient” (111). Towards the end Hester begs Chillingworth to leave Arthur alone, but even to his wife he doesn’t show a simple sign of sympathy. Some would say because Chillingworth was betrayed by his wife and chose to live a life of isolation that he can be empathetic towards others; but Hawthorne tends to think
Hawthorne says that"...there came a glare of red light out of his eyes; as if the old man's soul were on fire, and kept on smoldering duskily within his breast, until, by some casual puff of passion, it was blown into a momentary flame...Chillingworth was a striking evidence of man's faculty of transforming himself into a devil, if he will only, for a reasonable space of time, undertake a devil's office"(226). Throughout the novel Reverend Dimmesdale becomes weak, but in some sick way Chillingworth feeds off of Arthur's guilt. Roger "violate[s] the sanctity of the human heart"(105) when he continues to seek vengeance. Although when viewed as a puritan cityfolk, Chillingworth seems like an innocent physician helping out the defenceless Dimmesdale; but when given a second glance Roger is “... a leech sucking the life from his patient” (111). Towards the end Hester begs Chillingworth to leave Arthur alone, but even to his wife he doesn’t show a simple sign of sympathy. Some would say because Chillingworth was betrayed by his wife and chose to live a life of isolation that he can be empathetic towards others; but Hawthorne tends to think