Chillingworth’s True Worth
“Shouldst thou fail me in this, beware! His fame, his position, his life will be in my hands. Beware!”, Chillingworth promises (73). In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne described a world where Roger Chillingworth lives a life built purely on vengeance. Although, originally revered as a skilled physician, a beneficial asset to the town, and a loving husband to Hester, he slowly shed that image and transformed into somewhat of a black devil to those people. Through the events of the story, darkness contaminates his soul and leaks out, thus, affecting Hester, Dimmesdale, and the townspeople.This is a timeless story because Chillingworth teaches the reader the consequences of a thirst for revenge through …show more content…
Chillingworth, a deformed figure, slyly suggests that, “a sickness, a sore place, if we may so call it, in your spirit, hath immediately its appropriate manifestation in your bodily frame. Would you, therefore, that your physician heal the bodily evil? How may this be, unless you first lay open to him the wound or trouble in your soul?” (128). As soon as the words escape his lips, the minister, Dimmesdale responds nervously and “with a frantic gesture, he rushed out of the room” (128). Observing the minister’s twitchy reaction to his slick words, he fully acknowledges that it brings great pain to Dimmesdale. Chillingworth’s actions cause himself to be further deformed and a prime spot for the accumulation of evilness. This is a key event because it reveals that Chillingworth is partly responsible for Dimmesdale’s spiral to insanity and misery. Furthermore, Dimmesdale is damaged psychological and anxious as a result of the physician’s prying words. In addition, it reveals his personal pleasure in tormenting Dimmesdale already broken soul. Unaware of the range his evil extends to, the townspeople begin to notice his evil with one glance at his physical features. Today, society often deems it acceptable to wring someone dry of secrets and derive pleasure from the discovery their secrets. Often, the line is …show more content…
Hawthorne states, “At first, his expression had been calm, meditative scholarlike. Now, there was something ugly and evil in his face which they had not previously noticed, and which grew still the more obvious to sight, the more oftener they looked upon him” (120). Compared to the previous opinions and perspectives the townspeople held on him of being Dimmesdale’s only savior, the townspeople 's views have changed drastically. Because his bad intentions have surfaced, the townspeople began to look at him with fear in their hearts and skepticism. This is compelling because sometimes internal thoughts and intentions may seep out and show their presence on the external body. This is still relevant in today’s world because many people are viewed in a different manner once others learn of their malicious history or their malevolent thought
“Shouldst thou fail me in this, beware! His fame, his position, his life will be in my hands. Beware!”, Chillingworth promises (73). In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne described a world where Roger Chillingworth lives a life built purely on vengeance. Although, originally revered as a skilled physician, a beneficial asset to the town, and a loving husband to Hester, he slowly shed that image and transformed into somewhat of a black devil to those people. Through the events of the story, darkness contaminates his soul and leaks out, thus, affecting Hester, Dimmesdale, and the townspeople.This is a timeless story because Chillingworth teaches the reader the consequences of a thirst for revenge through …show more content…
Chillingworth, a deformed figure, slyly suggests that, “a sickness, a sore place, if we may so call it, in your spirit, hath immediately its appropriate manifestation in your bodily frame. Would you, therefore, that your physician heal the bodily evil? How may this be, unless you first lay open to him the wound or trouble in your soul?” (128). As soon as the words escape his lips, the minister, Dimmesdale responds nervously and “with a frantic gesture, he rushed out of the room” (128). Observing the minister’s twitchy reaction to his slick words, he fully acknowledges that it brings great pain to Dimmesdale. Chillingworth’s actions cause himself to be further deformed and a prime spot for the accumulation of evilness. This is a key event because it reveals that Chillingworth is partly responsible for Dimmesdale’s spiral to insanity and misery. Furthermore, Dimmesdale is damaged psychological and anxious as a result of the physician’s prying words. In addition, it reveals his personal pleasure in tormenting Dimmesdale already broken soul. Unaware of the range his evil extends to, the townspeople begin to notice his evil with one glance at his physical features. Today, society often deems it acceptable to wring someone dry of secrets and derive pleasure from the discovery their secrets. Often, the line is …show more content…
Hawthorne states, “At first, his expression had been calm, meditative scholarlike. Now, there was something ugly and evil in his face which they had not previously noticed, and which grew still the more obvious to sight, the more oftener they looked upon him” (120). Compared to the previous opinions and perspectives the townspeople held on him of being Dimmesdale’s only savior, the townspeople 's views have changed drastically. Because his bad intentions have surfaced, the townspeople began to look at him with fear in their hearts and skepticism. This is compelling because sometimes internal thoughts and intentions may seep out and show their presence on the external body. This is still relevant in today’s world because many people are viewed in a different manner once others learn of their malicious history or their malevolent thought