Please focus your commentary on one or two of this week's assigned chapters:
"The Interior of a Heart"
"The Minister's Vigil"
"Another View of Hester"
"Hester and the Physician"
To keep practicing close reading skills, you may wish to consider in your response the author's use of a couple of the following literary devices:
- diction
- imagery (esp. contrasting light and dark imagery)
- juxtaposition with other characters
- selection of detail (especially his appearance and actions)
Also, let's push ourselves to think about he bigger picture here, now that we are halfway through the novel. What exactly is Hawthorne getting at in his portrayal of Roger Chillingworth's evil? What larger truth about human nature seems to surface in his development of this character? What understanding might Hawthorne hope readers come to when they think about Chillingworth?
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ReplyDeleteIt has been firmly established that Roger Chillingworth is the antagonist of the story, at points he seems to be the living embodiment of evil sometimes even drawing strong parallels to the devil. He also seems to represent some enlightenment era ideals, specifically regarding his intellect and analytical way of thinking.
ReplyDeleteHe is often described as being “calm” and “passionless”, during the enlightenment era order and rational thought were prized above all. His passionless and calm demeanor reflect illustrate how he also prizes rational thought, he doesn’t let emotion get in the way of his plans. He also describes Dimsdale like a machine that he has learned how to work. This is also a very mechanical and distant way of looking at people, they are simply more things that in time can be figured out.
Looking at the connection Chillingworth has to the enlightenment era and the increasingly negative portrayal of him it could be assumed that Nathaniel Hawthorne believes that the enlightenment philosophy is bad. I think this is true to an extent. I think believe that Chillingworth is meant to demonstrate how focusing to much on rational thought and intellectual pursuits will corrupt you and make you distant from other people. In a way he is saying that by denying strong emotion you become almost non-human.
I find your comment about Chillingworth's relation to the devil very thought provoking. There are other parallels between unworldly creatures and characters within the book, (for example, Pearl is constantly being referred to as an elf-child). I wonder now- do you think that Chillingworth is meant to be a symbol unto himself, or is it possible that each character symbolizes a different characteristic of the time period? In Pearls case, I find it possible that she represents the fear of disobeying the laws created by god, and since she was a result of defiance of the Lord, she herself defies human form. If Chillingworth is truly a depiction of Hawthorne's distaste of the Enlightenment Era, then what does Pearl reveal about Hawthorne's beliefs?
DeleteNathaniel Hawthorne is a thoughtful and careful writer. He focuses on his characters and developing them by giving us insight into not only their motivations but also their actual inner thoughts. One of those characters is Roger Chillingworth. Portrayed as an evil figure from his entrance, he is given a monstrous appearance and develops a malicious and deceptive attitude from the moment we really learn about him. However, the true Chillingsworth bleeds through in “The Interior of the Heart”. After coming up with a plan to sow his vengeance on the clergyman Arthur Dimmesdale, who fathered a child with his wife, he is described as having, “A quiet depth of malice… which led him to imagine a more intimate revenge than any mortal had ever wreaked upon an enemy.” That one line, despite being at the beginning of the chapter, explains the basis of Chillingworth's character.
ReplyDeleteThe central idea to the character is that he is supposed to be representative of everything evil, and more specifically of the devil. That line helps to develop it. The “Quiet depth of malice” connects to the way that hall viewed people like Chillingsworth, a complete intellectual, similarly to the other romantics of the time. However the second part of the quote is more important. He describes the Chillingworth as capable of a rage harsher than “any mortal”. The idea that Chillingworth is otherworldly is one that the entire book pursues. He is thought of as a person so evil that he couldn’t come from earth, only the fires below it. The rest of the chapter continues along with this view that there is something demonic about Chillingworth and how he pursues Dimsdale. It is a strong message that Hawthorne is most likely going to continue for the rest of the story.
I absolutely agree with you on Hawthorne’s portrayal of Roger Chillingworth as evil and malicious. To add on Chillingworth is seeking revenge on Dimmesdale for the sin he and Hester committed, which is adultery that led to a child. He seems that Chillingworth is committing the biggest sin of all by wanting to cause harm to Dimmesdale’s life. It also hypocritical of him to do such a thing because it goes against the ideals of the Puritan society. Do you think his actions for seeking revenge on Dimmesdale is out of feeling betrayed by Hester? Also could it be jealousy that even though Hester and Dimmesdale are not married they have a loving relationship while Hester and Chillingworth marriage seems unnatural?
DeleteHawthorne uses a specific trait of Roger Chillingworth to criticize the enlightenment-era. In the beginning page of Chapter 11 “The Interior of a Heart”, he wrote, “The intellect of Roger Chillingworth had now a sufficiently plain path before it.” Here he associates the intellect of Chillingworth to be the sole responsible trait for his evil plotting against Dimmesdale. Hawthorne uses phrases such as “depth of malice” and “intimate revenge” to further develop Chillingworth as an intelligent sinister character. The phrases, “depth of malice” and “intimate revenge”, denotes to Chillingworth’s desire to do personal harm to Reverend Dimmesdale, while also implying the immense density of his nefarious character. Subsequently, Hawthorne further depicts Roger Chillingworth as a monster in Chapter 12 “The Minister’s Vigil”. After the meteorite that produced an “A” in the sky, Chillingworth catches Reverend Dimmesdale, Hester, and Pearl together at the Scaffold. Hawthorne describes the possible situation of the meteorite indicating God’s judgement upon Dimmsdale and Hester, “Roger Chillingworth [would have] passed with them for the archfiend, standing there with a smile and scowl”. In other words, Chillingworth would have devilishly laughed at the condemnation of Dimmesdale and Hester, which would result into his own condemnation. Hawthorne demonstrates Chillingworth’s odious character more by his word choice. He describes Chillingworth as “archfiend” who would “smile and scowl”. The word archfiend is calling Chillingworth devil, as well as tagging him with other traits that go with it, like immoral. These tags are further imprinted onto Chillingworth with his actions to “smile and scowl”, suggesting the awful pleasure it would bring him to have Dimmsdale and Hester suffer. Chillingworth is the epitome of evil in the story. He is described to be a wise person who has studied intensely, and served his life in truth and knowledge of the world. Hawthorne uses that background in Chillingworth to represent the enlightenment-era values, and in his story, uses him as a means to bring discomfort to the acceptance of those enlightenment values. In a way, Hawthorn exhorts that intelligence as a most resourceful trait when doing harm to others.
ReplyDeleteIt is certainly interesting how Nathaniel Hawthorne manages to effectively portray Roger Chillingworth as an evil villain merely through his thoughts and indirect actions. Hawthorne’s mastery of imagery and diction is clearly present in the passages you mention. Throughout these chapters, we see the torment and suffering of Dimmesdale, which Chillingworth wishes upon him. However, I believe that Chillingworth being the “epitome of evil” is a bit extreme. On the other hand, you bring up a very nice point about intelligence being the most powerful weapon.
DeleteI have reason to believe that Roger Chillingworth is evil. There are a few explanations for this, so I will go in order of notability: first, he is the exact opposite of Hester. While she is a young, beautiful woman, he is an older man. The typical narrative setup creates immediate tension between the protagonist and antagonist by giving both traits that opposes each other. Chillingworth’s first major interaction in the book is with Hester and we are immediately told of their differences. She radiates with a heavenly glow of youth and hope whereas he just sort of *chills* (ha, I’m hilarious) in the smog of damnation, abandonment, and jealousy. And resentment. This becomes no clearer than on page 132, The Interior of the Heart, when he is simply plotting Dimmesdale’s . . . ‘payment.’ He begins looking for the best way to get his revenge. He calls Dimmesdale his “victim,” like some kick, psychotic mass killer. “Victim,” like someone who did no wrong but still got punished. “Victim” isn’t usually used as a way to describe someone who is getting what they deserve. This is what truly makes a man evil.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that Dimmesdale has made a victim out of Hester, by allowing her to be severely punished by the Puritans while he continues to live freely? Or do you think that they are both victims to their sin? Yes, Dimmesdale suffers from his own guilty conscience, but does this compare to the ostracization that Hester has faced?
DeleteI agree that Chillingworth is evil and has a clear influence on Dimmesdale, but I do not think that he is the only victim here. Hester has no real chance to integrate back into society, as her sin has turned all the Puritans against her. Moreover, she has to raise Pearl on her own, who serves as a daily reminder of her place in the community. Once Hester takes off her “A”, she instantly feels the weight off her shoulders: “The stigma gone, Hester heaved a long, deep sigh, in which the burden of shame and anguish departed from her spirit. O exquisite relief! She had not known the weight, until she felt the freedom!” This leads me to believe that Hester is a victim as well, as she suffers the same haunting presence from the Puritans as Dimmesdale suffers from Chillingworth.
Personally, I thought that Chillingworth, while certainly a terrible person, wasn't quite the villain he was originally made out to be. After all, he only started acting so awful and going by a creepy alias once he became aware of Hester's affair, and, as far as I can recall, there was no evidence that he'd originally (back in England) been this intentionally malignant. His true crime seems to be that he's taking all his anger out on Dimmsdale who, although certainly not innocent in this case, is less to blame for Chillingworth's abandonment than Hester herself. Moreover, its not like he's jealous for no good reason; he's angry at the man who he feels 'stole' his wife, who seems to have originally loved him.
DeleteI think that it is an interesting idea that Chillingworth is the antithesis of Hester, a physical representation of what she was fighting against in the story. I think however that there are some things to consider about his overall character. The first would be whether or not Chillingworth is the only antagonist in the story. Yes he is a evil man, but is he the only person we see like this in the story, or just the most prominent. Secondly, it's important to ask if Hester is still so different from him since she has changed into a more hardened woman? Is she still the hero to his villain or is she becoming something else? Is she losing that role as she starts to lose what made her the woman who stood on the platform, enduring the hate and surviving?
DeleteIn "Another View of Hester", Hester recognizes the struggle that Dimmesdale is facing due to the power of Chillingworth’s evil persuasion. She sees that he is weak and on “the verge of lunacy”, she believes that it is her duty to help him be rid of the evil that has taken him over. Hester feels responsible for what has happened to Dimmesdale and makes it her priority to speak to Chillingworth. She describes the impact of Chillingworth as “the blacker ruin” which embodies the sinister influence and depth that Chillingworth is able to put people in. This also brings about the theme of dark vs. light, “the blacker ruin” is juxtaposed through the reverend’s intentions and what he is being put through. He is supposed to represent this holy figure but he is dragged into the shadows of pain. She also feels guilty for allowing Dimmesdale to be subjected to the horror of Chillingworth’s power and feels deep remorse for throwing him “into a position where so much evil was to be foreboded.” Hawthorne makes a point to call Dimmesdale a “victim” in this chapter, it creates the idea that Chillingworth has caused pain and suffering to this man and is guilty for it. Dimmesdale is the “victim” of Chillingworth’s cruel intentions and continues to make him suffer.
ReplyDeleteMoving forward, in “Hester and the Physician”, when Hester and Chillingworth finally speak, Hester recognizes that the former intellectual and calm man that Chillingworth once was is no longer. He is seen as “eager” and “searching” which relates back to the idea that he was digging up sacred graves in the earlier chapter. This “sacred” being being Dimmesdale, he is destroying him. Hester recognizes that Chillingworth’s smile is evil and that a spectator could see “his blackness”. There rose a red light from his eyes, “as if the old man’s soul were on fire”. This intensity of his eyes which is also seen in previous chapters supports the demonic and devilish characteristics that Chillingworth embodies. Hawthorne uses this imagery to further reveal Chillingworth’s evilness. He is filling the shoes of the devil himself. The significance of Chillingworth being a physician is that physicians are portrayed to be healers, his profession and his character juxtapose each other greatly. Hawthorne expands on this idea by saying that he has devoted himself to the analysis of the heart, which he lacks, and deprived himself of enjoyment and passion. This also shows how Chillingworth embodies the mindset of the Enlightenment Era. Chillingworth tells Hester to “let the black flower blossom as it may”, this is relates back to the idea that the prison in which Hester was in was portrayed as a black flower, symbolizing death and suffering. He is telling Hester to let evil be present, and let him continue to play the role of the devil against Dimmesdale and all those he sees fit.
In “The Interior of the Heart”, Hawthorne continues to develop Chillingworth as the symbol of human evil. Chillingworth has already disclose the identity of Dimmesdale and he seeks revenge for his actions. Although his outer appearance is perceived as “calm” and “gentle”, he is indeed a man with monstrous intentions as he seeks a “a more intimate revenge than any mortal had ever wreaked upon an enemy” That simply creates a parallel connection to him and satan, the definition of true evil. He would “violated the secret of the human heart” and became a “chief actor” in which he would torture Dimmesdale by making comments that triggers his agony and fear. Chillingworth is a man that lacks the ability to establish equatable relationship with others which therefore he thrives on seeking a hopeless revenge. What a reader can get from the current situation of Chillingworth is transforming into the devil’s act as he has completely lost human consciousness.
ReplyDeleteThe idea that Roger Chillingworth has a relation to the devil continues in “The Pastor and His Parishioner”. Dimmesdale calls upon the fact that while both Hester and himself have sinned, Chillingworth has committed the sin against the ‘human heart’. While he acknowledges his sins along with Hester’s, Chillingworth's revenge he deems as the ultimate wrong. Hawthorne’s use of the words ‘human heart’ emphasize the need to understand and sympathize what passion can do to do. Even if conformity is what is called for, human emotions will always prevail. Due to the fact that Chillingworth was not able to sympathize with this feeling, that both Hester and Dimmesdale shared, it meant that he was indeed inhuman. The devil just like Chillingworth,lacks empathy, Chillingsworth is indeed a brute.
DeleteIn the Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne first introduced Roger Chillingworth as a scholarly physician. In chapter 9, “The Leech” Hawthorne describes Chillingworth’s initial appearance as being “calm, meditative, scholarlike.” Now, after assimilating into Puritan society and finding out about Hester’s public ignominy Chillingworth bears “something ugly and evil in his face.” Later in the chapter, Hawthorne labels Chillingworth as “Satan’s emissary”, referring to his devious quest for revenge against Minister Dimmesdale. The evil and ugly thing Hawthorne refers to provides insight into Chillingworth’s supernatural and satanic nature. Even his arrival to the town, “dropping down, as it were, out of the sky, or starting from the nether earth” was described as mysterious, something that came not from earth or heaven but hell. This recurring theme of evil and darkness described through Roger Chillingworth’s character is seen through Hawthorne’s use of simile to compare Roger to a sexton, one which “[delves] into a grave”. Chillingworth’s character setting is the graveyard, typically a graveyard is place of agony, disturbing, and dark. Chillingworth, much like the devil or the ghosts that rest in the graveyard “burrows” into Dimmesdale’s soul. Perhaps this quest for vengeance is also a quest for salvation and enlightenment.
ReplyDeleteUltimately, Hawthorne construes Chillingworth as the physical representation of evil. His natural feeling of vengeance is exaggerated to emphasize the Puritan society’s repression of any feeling considered impure.
I agree with the concept that Roger Chillingworth is a representation of evil. Before "like a sexton delving into a grave", there was the simile of "a miner searching for gold." This signifigance behind this is that Hawthorne first uses a lighter simile to describe Chillingworth's motives and then proceeds to use the harsher simile to provide make readers view him as a more malicious character. His use of word choice in the second simile perfectly suits the moment as he isn't a "miner" but rather a "sexton." A sexton is a person who digs graves and the comparison is Chillingworth going after the secrets in the tomb. This intent sounds more evil when compared to a miner digging for gold and this gold/tomb is Arthur Dimmesdale's secret of adultery. Chillingworth is like a devil, slowly digging his way into someone's heart and tormenting them from the inside.
DeleteChillingsworth is not initially portrayed as evil. Although his name gives some foreshadowing into the development of what he might become, we initially see him as a rational man; when he first see Hester's sin he feels bad for her and takes partial fault for it because he violated the “laws of nature” by marrying her to young. Initially the reader is supposed to feel some sympathy when described as “well stricken in years” and a “slender” man. Hawthorne choose to develop Chillingworth as evil when Chillingworth goes on a path to figure out who Hester had the affair with. Chillingworth develops this evil obsession with finding the truth that we begin to see him as evil. What really turn Chillingworth into evil is when he starts to torture Dimmesdale because he is so focused on finding this truth, we can see Hawthorne really emphasize how innocent dimmesdale is to the stark evil demeanor of Chillingworth. A similarity can be drawn to captain Ahab, just like Chillingworth, he develops this obsession to finding the truth that it costs him his sanity and turns him evil on this path, that robs him of his humanity.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I agree that Chillingworth is developed as evil later on in the novel, Hawthorne specifically gives Chillingworth a motive for seeking revenge on Dimmesdale. Dimmesdale is not innocent, his role as a Reverend juxtaposes his sin that he shares with Hester, although he is in the shadows. Chillingworth is an "old man" who has been betrayed by Hester, even though he believes it is partially his fault, it is rational for him to seek revenge upon a man who has thrown his wife in prison and burned with a hot iron that will never let her forget about her wrongs. This man is to blame for her isolation and loss of radiance. Is Dimmesdale really a "victim?" and is Chillingworth "evil" for the revenge he seeks on someone who destroyed Hester's life but shares no blame? There seems to be contradicting character traits on both ends.
DeleteIn chapter ten, “The Leech and His Patient”, of his book The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne has the character Roger Chillingworth embody enlightenment-era intellect by conveying his dialogue with a satanic voice. While having a conversation with Arthur Dimmesdale, Chillingworth endeavors to have the reverend spill his heart out. The priest preached that on the “divine mercy” (123) may have a man’s heart disclosed to him but if Chillingworth pokes around his soul, Hawthorne would suggest that it is a satanic act. Furthermore, we can see Chillingworth adopting the persuasive mouth of the devil when he questions when he questions a secretive man’s religious status as he should not offer his “unclean hands” (125) to God. That continuing to preach to God while dirty would mean that the filthy men are “deceiving themselves” (125). By juxtaposing the light theme of God to the dark theme of deception and filth, Hawthorne effectively displays Chillingworth as an evil intellectual who can manage to sway the faith of even a respected holy priest. This tells us that enlightenment thinkers abandon their voice, a connection to God, for the devil’s voice in order to pursue their goals.
ReplyDeleteIn a bigger picture, whenever Roger Chillingworth is mentioned Hawthorne suggests that we should look at the enlightenment thinkers as a whole. They are the men who abandon religion in the pursuit of science. For example, when we recall paintings such as “The Death of Socrates” by Jacques Louis David, we remember that it is about a man who apparently had forsaken religion in the pursuit of science and would rather die than mend his ways. Roger Chillingworth represents Socrates and many other enlightenment thinkers in the way that he is seen as a genius who seems to be against God, seen as Satan.
Are we taking this a little too far? I'm not sure that Hawthorne wants us to see the values of the Enlightenment era as somehow satanic. But I'm wondering if Hawthorne, through Chillingworth, is perhaps warning readers of the dangers of devoting their lives exclusively to narrowly focused, intellectual pursuits, to the exclusion of nurturing our need for human feeling, compassion, and love.
DeleteMightn't he also be advancing this argument through his depiction of Hester's transformation after seven years of ostracism? She, too, has been drained of her former feeling and passion.
What, according to Hawthorne, seems to be sacrificed when the individual -- whether out of personal preference or societal pressure -- represses or deprives himself of human feeling?
From previous chapters, we know that Nathaniel Hawthorne has been hinting at Roger Chillingworth’s antagonistic qualities; his monstrous and dark appearance, as well as his demon-esque personality traits. In “The Interior of a Heart,” Hawthorne begins to fully flesh out and confirm Chillingworth’s symbol as the villain of the novel. Shortly after discovering that the clergyman Arthur Dimmesdale had an affair and offspring with his own wife, Chillingworth holds a grudge and devices a plot for revenge, a common trope among villains. More importantly, the very first paragraph contrasts his appearance, “Calm, gentle, passionless…” to his actual thoughts: “there was yet, we fear, a quit depth of malice, hitherto latent, but active now, in this unfortunate old man, which led him to imagine a more intimate revenge than any mortal had ever wreaked upon an enemy.” We know that the people in the Puritan society respect him upon his intellectual appearance, hence the first part. His antagonistic qualities are conveyed through the last words, as a typical villainous devil would be capable of much more than “any mortal.” Hawthorne not only provides the reader insight into Chillingworth’s mind, but also much into Dimmesdale’s. Throughout the chapter, Dimmesdale tortures himself with the agony of his guilt from the sins he has committed in an attempt to “purify” himself, without much success however. On top of this, he will receive some sort of punishment from Chillingworth, creating an unsettling mood. The diction that Hawthorne chooses during the chapter creates a dark atmosphere. Words such as and similar to “evil,” “horror,” “bitterness,” and “hatred” are littered everywhere. Hawthorne effectively portrays Chillingworth's as the antagonist through his noxious descriptions and word-choice.
ReplyDeleteMy fellow peer, our interpretations of the chapters are very similar. I am in agreement with Nathaniel Hawthorne purposefully crafting Chillingworth to be the antagonist of the story. However, you seemed to have been missing your own reason why Hawthorn does this? Perhaps it is far more than just an argument against the devotion to intelligence, an enlightenment-era value. Could Hawthorne possible made chillingworth as an argument against intelligent people choosing to seek harmful revenge, for it can turn them to a villainous pathway? I highly recommend that you ask constantly ask yourself why this 19th century romanticist writer chooses to write what he does. Other than that, I love your individual style in writing commentaries. Your commentary, I believe, stands out for it simplifies texts into common modern story “tropes” and other ideas. Keep that up.
DeleteThroughout the Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne constantly depicts Roger Chillingworth as a personification of evil and Enlightenment Era values. Chillingworth is the ex-husband of Hester and he is represents the Enlightenment ideals because the way he presents himself and acts. He is constantly extremely analytic and stoic. The ability to shift his facial expression and repress his true emotions, makes Chillingworth to be satan-like and inhuman. In ‘The Recognition”, Roger realizes that Hester Prynne was the figure that was his ex- wife trial and his face “darkened with powerful emotion” and yet he “instantaneously controlled that effort at will.” This ability to control such powerful emotions already deems Chillingworth as demonic. His character is also portrayed as evil and within the introduction of Roger, he is described as bearing “ugly and evil” in his face. Hawthorne continues to build on his characteristic of evil in the chapter “Interior of hear.” His malicious intents are revealed when he seeks revenge on Arthur Dimmesdale by tormenting him with comments regarding adultery and making Arthur feel guilt. It is similar to a demon pinching on a person’s subconsciousness and forcing him/her into submission. In these chapters, Hawthorne definitely portrays Roger Chillingworth a symbol of evil.
ReplyDeleteI find it very interesting how much Hawthorne has changed in the way he characterizes Roger Chillingworth. Initially, when we first meet his character, he is seemingly a cold, calm, and collected intellectual, who for the most part did no wrong. Even according to Hawthorne, Chillingworth had been “calm in temperament [and] kindly”. However, he is now portrayed as something truly evil. Everything even related to this character is described as dark, evil and monstrous. Even his goals are quite malicious; he has devoted himself to wreaking “a more intimate revenge than any mortal had ever wreaked upon an enemy.” I find the reason why he is so intent on revenge to be most interesting, however. As we know, Chillingworth is desperate to out Arthur Dimmesdale’s secret. We know that Dimmesdale’s secret is his love affair with Hester, and we know that this secret has caused him so much grief and inner turmoil that he is actually losing his health as a result. The secret is corrupting Arthur Dimmesdale. However, Dimmesdale is not the only one getting corrupted by the secret. Chillingworth’s descent into evil and maliciousness is a result of his lust to expose Arthur’s secret. I find it interesting how Hawthorne juxtaposes these two corruptions; Chillingworth becoming more evil, while Dimmesdale seemingly becomes more pious. I believe that the point of this juxtaposition, at least for Chillingworth’s sake, is for Hawthorne to show how corrupting a thirst for knowledge is. Connecting this to Hawthorne’s romanticist background, this would make sense.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting point that you bring up got the juxtaposition of the two characters. What do you thinks Hawthorne's intentions were with this juxtaposition? How do think think it magnifies Hester's Character? Based off this weekends reading we can you see you point further developed, in the scene when Hester is talking to the minister and we can see the ministers guilt and suffering for his actions, Hester's response to the the minister perhaps seem to signify the advancement of Hester's character, would it be fair to say that is comes from the very juxtaposition that you are noticing?
DeleteInitially Hawthorne doesn’t portray Roger Chillingworth as a malicious person, but rather a person with high intellect and a calm persona as he is called like a “calm, meditative, scholarlike” person. However as the chapters progress Chillingsworth is slowly shaped into a man of the greatest evil, calling him “Satan’s emissary” because of his quest to shame the Minister of the town for impregnating Hester. It’s Hawthorne’s constant use of satanic descriptions of Chillingworth’s quest in revenge that symbolically tells a story of the unromantic ideals that chillingworth symbolizes. In fact the name Chillingworth suggest that he was going to be a malicious person from the very beginning. Chillingsworth is not a person that should be respected the name suggests a cold person that is heartless and throughout the story he exemplifies just that.
ReplyDeleteInitially Hawthorne doesn’t portray Roger Chillingworth as a malicious person, but rather a person with high intellect and a calm persona as he is called like a “calm, meditative, scholarlike” person. However as the chapters progress Chillingsworth is slowly shaped into a man of the greatest evil, calling him “Satan’s emissary” because of his quest to shame the Minister of the town for impregnating Hester. It’s Hawthorne’s constant use of satanic descriptions of Chillingworth’s quest in revenge that symbolically tells a story of the unromantic ideals that chillingworth symbolizes. In fact the name Chillingworth suggest that he was going to be a malicious person from the very beginning. Chillingsworth is not a person that should be respected the name suggests a cold person that is heartless and throughout the story he exemplifies just that.
ReplyDelete