The Character Of Chillingworth In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

In the book, The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850, the author is talking about Puritan’s ways of living and how a child is raised because she was born in a legitimate way. Although Hester and Dimmesdale is parents and would take good care of Pearl, Chillingworth would be the best guardian because he could teach Pearl to be matured, Chillingworth can afford more things for Pearl than her parents, and he will take good care of her like she is his own child. Chillingworth will be the best guardian because Pearl can be educated to be sophisticated in the Puritan society. Pearl was acting and living as a troublesome and unimportant girl when she was little. Pearl did not listen to her mother and did everything in her own way as she likes. “Pearl, that wild and flighty little elf” (Hawthorne 79). When she grows up, if she had the same behavior, then she will be outcast in the Puritan society. Especially everyone will make fun of her because she is the daughter of an adulteress (Hester is Pearl’s mother) and has a bad name in the society and will say Pearl is becoming like Hester. Chillingworth can afford more for Pearl than her mother, because her mother is impecunious and her father is respectful and intimidated person who does not want anyone to know he did a sin. Chillingworth left all his …show more content…
But Hester cheated on him with another guy. Chillingworth could have killed Pearl when she was sick in jail, but instead he gave her medicine and took care of her. “Foolish woman! responded the physician, half coldly, half soothingly, What should ail me to harm this misbegotten and miserable babe?” (Hawthorne 50). Chillingworth always was nice to Hester and Pearl but Hester thinks of him wrong and was thinking of him as an enemy. If Hester did not look at Chillingworth as an enemy, then Chillingworth would have helped Hester when Pearl was growing