The Scarlet Letter is not just a story of Hester Prynne but it also tells the story of Roger Chillingworth, a man who enters into a town shaken by sin and lies. Chillingworth is a character who was meant to studied
Hawthorne gives Chillingworth the task of discovering and interpreting all that has happened. The only person fit for this task must want to “feed the hungry dream of knowledge”. After spending years living with Native Americans Chillingworth returns to a town where everyone is a slave to the mere idea of sin. Hawthorne needed someone whose mind is not clouded by the ideals of the town. The glasses Chillingworth wears when he first appears at the scaffold “[having] a strange, penetrating power” that allow the owner to “read the …show more content…
even making him the focus of many chapters. Even in chapters supposedly focused on other characters Chillingworth still has a strong presence. Once Hester is on the scaffold Chillingworth enters the story and Hawthorne makes his the power of his presence clear by giving a strong description from Hester of Chillingworth. During the first glimpse into Hester’s thoughts it is Chillingworth’s entrance that interrupts Hester’s thoughts. This is the first of many times that the thought of Chillingworth intrudes into Hester’s mind. The townspeople like to concern themselves with what they deem as scandalous and important topics and one topic that grabs their attention is Chillingworth. When Hester and Dimmesdale speak for the first time in years Hester is fearful of Chillingworth. Chillingworth appears in “The Elf-Child and the Minister”. The physical presence of Chillingworth is just as numerous as his mental presence. Major events in which Chillingworth is present include public events such as being in the crowd for Hester’s punishment and Dimmesdale’s death as well as more private events like when Pearl appeared before the governor and Dimmesdale’s stand on the scaffold at midnight. Chillingworth’s full name, Roger Chillingworth, appears seventy six times putting emphasis on Chillingworth in comparison to Arthur Dimmesdale which appears twenty three …show more content…
Chillingworth destroys Dimmesdale mentally and physically. Pearl is but a small nag that Hester has learned to live with. Unlike Dimmesdale, Pearl does not break down Hester but if anything, helps Hester build up strength. The existence of Pearl certainly causes a stir in the town but Chillingworth is a mystery to the townspeople because in order for them to make assumptions about him they must put a lot more thought into it. The words of Chillingworth do the most damage to Dimmesdale who is “griping hard at his breast” when Chillingworth asks why those who are pained by secrets do not reveal them. A reaction this strong could never have been generated from one of Pearl’s questions. The guilt Dimmesdale feels from Chillingworth surpasses the amount of shame Hester feels when Pearl asks her
Hawthorne gives Chillingworth the task of discovering and interpreting all that has happened. The only person fit for this task must want to “feed the hungry dream of knowledge”. After spending years living with Native Americans Chillingworth returns to a town where everyone is a slave to the mere idea of sin. Hawthorne needed someone whose mind is not clouded by the ideals of the town. The glasses Chillingworth wears when he first appears at the scaffold “[having] a strange, penetrating power” that allow the owner to “read the …show more content…
even making him the focus of many chapters. Even in chapters supposedly focused on other characters Chillingworth still has a strong presence. Once Hester is on the scaffold Chillingworth enters the story and Hawthorne makes his the power of his presence clear by giving a strong description from Hester of Chillingworth. During the first glimpse into Hester’s thoughts it is Chillingworth’s entrance that interrupts Hester’s thoughts. This is the first of many times that the thought of Chillingworth intrudes into Hester’s mind. The townspeople like to concern themselves with what they deem as scandalous and important topics and one topic that grabs their attention is Chillingworth. When Hester and Dimmesdale speak for the first time in years Hester is fearful of Chillingworth. Chillingworth appears in “The Elf-Child and the Minister”. The physical presence of Chillingworth is just as numerous as his mental presence. Major events in which Chillingworth is present include public events such as being in the crowd for Hester’s punishment and Dimmesdale’s death as well as more private events like when Pearl appeared before the governor and Dimmesdale’s stand on the scaffold at midnight. Chillingworth’s full name, Roger Chillingworth, appears seventy six times putting emphasis on Chillingworth in comparison to Arthur Dimmesdale which appears twenty three …show more content…
Chillingworth destroys Dimmesdale mentally and physically. Pearl is but a small nag that Hester has learned to live with. Unlike Dimmesdale, Pearl does not break down Hester but if anything, helps Hester build up strength. The existence of Pearl certainly causes a stir in the town but Chillingworth is a mystery to the townspeople because in order for them to make assumptions about him they must put a lot more thought into it. The words of Chillingworth do the most damage to Dimmesdale who is “griping hard at his breast” when Chillingworth asks why those who are pained by secrets do not reveal them. A reaction this strong could never have been generated from one of Pearl’s questions. The guilt Dimmesdale feels from Chillingworth surpasses the amount of shame Hester feels when Pearl asks her