The Character of Chillingworth in The Scarlet Letter Essay

The Character of Chillingworth in The Scarlet Letter nbsp; Old Mr. Prynne began his new life in the town of Boston as the Physician Roger Chillingworth. The moment he arrived, the town deemed him intelligent and mild mannered; he always seemed pleasant although a little odd. Throughout the seven years he remained in Boston, his character changed so dramatically from admirable to evil that even those who did not know him personally seemed to notice an evil nature deep within his soul trying to break free. nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Chillingworth stood with Hester Prynne within the confines of the prison, talking with her about how he would go about finding her lover. He says to her,†¦show more content†¦Hester looked at the man of skill, and even then, with her fate hanging on the balance, was startled to perceive what a change had come over his features, --how much uglier they were, --how his dark complexion seemed to have grown duskier, and his figure more misshapen... (Pg.103).nbsp; Hester is not the only person to notice the change in Chillingworth; many of the townspeople recognize the changes in him as well, At first his expression had been calm, meditative, scholar-like. Now there was something ugly and evil in his face, which they had not previously noticed, and which still grew more obvious to sight the oftener they looked upon him (Pg. 117). Slowly but surely Roger Chillingworth is changing from a man with normal interests, to a man with an evil obsession; every day he is getting closer and closer to the dark side. nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Later on during the story while Hester and Chillingworth are in the woods talking about Dimmesdale, Hester shouts at Chillingworth, You search his thoughts. You burrow and rankle in his heart! Your clutch is on his life and you cause him to die daily a living death! (Pg. 156) Hester knows Chillingworth has more evil in his blood than ever before in his life; he feeds off the pain he causes Dimmesdale and enjoys every minute of it. Chillingworth doesnt realize in the slightest how much more evil flows through his veins now, than did before in his life. ItShow MoreRelatedRevenge1222 Words   |  5 Pages This writing focuses on the character Roger Chillingworth, who is one of the main characters in the Scarlet Letter. Chillingworth is first introduced as a â€Å"white man, clad in a strange disarray of civilized clothing and savage costume† (â€Å"Scarlet Letter: Page 1365†). It goes on to describe him as a small ol d man who has a look of high intellect and a deformed body. Chillingworth plays a chilling and disturbing character throughout the book. He acts almost inhumanly, which one could note that evenRead MoreEssay on Morally Ambiguous Characters in The Scarlet Letter746 Words   |  3 PagesIn Nathanial Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, the deceptive Roger Chillingworth could most certainly be considered a morally ambiguous character. Throughout the novel, Roger Chillingworth everlastingly remains misleading as to whether he lies on the side of good or evil. Even at the end of The Scarlet Letter, the knowledge of Roger Chillingworth is extremely nebulous. The mysterious Roger Chillingworth, although ultimately emanating to be evil, attests to be a challenge when determining his moralityRead MoreReaders Response of ‘Scarlet Letter’864 Words   |  4 PagesReaders Response of ‘Scarlet Letter’ Despite the declination in the personal and societal standards of morality in the past century, it is still evident today that a universal standard of ethics does indeed exist in every civilization. Likewise, these communities administer consequences upon those who fail to meet up to those principles. The severity of the punishment inflicted rests solely on the offender, the offense and the society itself. For Hester Prynne, the penalty for fornicationRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlet Letter1631 Words   |  7 Pagestheme for his most renowned literary novel, The Scarlet Letter. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne emphasized the impact that societal isolation can have on individuals. Several of the victims inflicted with isolation throughout the novel were ultimately met with their inevitable downfalls. One particular character, Hester Prynne, was selected to undergo a struggle comparable to Hawthorne’s own. Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter cente red its characters on a theme of both physical and psychologicalRead MoreThe Worst Sinner in the Scarlet Letter1444 Words   |  6 PagesThe Worst Sinner in The Scarlet Letter In The Scarlet Letter there are three main sinners presented to the reader. Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth are all written with their own forms of sin, and each has a unique coping mechanism for their sins and guilt. Sin, at this time, was a hugely important part of daily life, and punishment for one’s sins was universally seen as not only a positive thing, but a necessary action to keep the people of the colony pure. Both HesterRead MoreAnalysis Of The From The Scarlet Letter 959 Words   |  4 PagesNine, â€Å"The Leech† from the Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of the most iconic books in history; its storyline, theme and literal characters have made an impact on the world of literature for hundreds of years. What stands out the most in the book is the use of archaic diction and figurative language, which serve to paint vivid, descriptive pictures of each character, specifically, Roger Chillingworth. In chapter nine of The Scarlet Letter, ‘The Leech†, Nathaniel HawthorneRead MoreSymbolism Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlet Letter 1159 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism in the Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne is known to have a lot of symbolism. Symbolism is a way to convey ideas and give a book a deeper meaning to readers. While there are many symbols in the Scarlet Letter, there are a few that stand out more than others. Pearl, Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth are all main characters that have symbols. Hawthorne symbols are used to help readers relate to the story. In order to really comprehend the book the readerRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter Essay1730 Words   |  7 PagesThe Scarlet Letter Introduction The Scarlet Letter is a classic tale of sin, punishment, and revenge. It was written in 1850 by the famous American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. It documents the lives of three tragic characters, each of whom suffer greatly because of his or her sins. Shot Plot The story begins with Hester Prynne, a resident of a small Puritan community, being led from the town jailhouse to a publicRead MoreTheme of Vengeance in The Scarlet Letter Essay1388 Words   |  6 PagesVengeance in The Scarlet Letter Vengeance is the act of recovering justice by forcing the opposing individual to endure same punishment or exceed a far more harsh consequence than the victim. People often try to obtain revenge upon others for the wrong reasons due to fact that they believe the actions or sins of another person have affected the victim in a negative way. The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, uses the relentless character, Mr. Roger Chillingworth, to describe theRead MorePearl In The Scarlet Letter1233 Words   |  5 PagesEngland. His most famous story is the Scarlet Letter. This novel tells of the punishment of a woman, Hester Prynne, who committed adultery and gave birth to Pearl. A minister of Boston, Arthur Dimmesdale, had an affair with Hester while believing that her husband, Roger Chillingworth, had died. However, Chillingworth did not die and appears during the early stages of Hester s punishment. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the character of Pearl in the Scarlet Letter. Her whole life had many difficulties