Chillingworth And Arthur Dimmesdale In The Scarlet Letter
In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne the reader gains insight into the background and personalities of the characters through Roger Chillingworth and Arthur Dimmesdale. These two characters show us the evil in the novel, the unfolding sin, and add a special romance to the novel Arthur Dimmesdale is the preacher in the Puritan settlement. He becomes involved with Hester Pyrnne, the wife of Roger Chillingworth. Pearl, Hester's daughter comes to her from Reverend Dimmesdale. Hester is forced to stand on the scaffold in front of the community to confess whom she committed adultery with. However, Hester does not divulge any information. Therefore, her husband changes his name and the issue remains at ease for 7 years until her husband
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During the treatment Chillingworth sees some wound or trouble in Dimmesdale's soul that is contributing to his declining health. One morning Chillingworth pushes aside Dimmesdale's shirt and reads the secret upon his heart. "Had a man seen old Roger Chillingworth, at that moment of his ectasty, he would have no need to ask how Satan comforts himself, when a precious human soul is lost to heaven, and won into his kingdom"(95). This is the climax point, where these two men become enemies and the secret unfolds. Chillingworth is described as a leech, because he is sucking the life out of Dimmesdale. "He dug into the poor clergyman's heart, like a miner searching for gold; or, rather, like a sexton delving a grave, possibly in quest of a jewel that had been buried on the dead man's bosom, but likely to find nothing save morality and corruption"(88). Chillingworth remains quiet about what he has found out. He sees Pearl, Hester, and Dimmesdale together at the scaffold where Hester made her statement at the beginning of the book. Dimmesdale express much hate towards Chillingworth for all of the tormenting. Hester tries to go talk to her husband to stop the tormenting, but Chillingworth refuses to stop. The truth must unfold. Election Day comes and Dimmesdale must make a speech. He can no longer keep the sin
During the treatment Chillingworth sees some wound or trouble in Dimmesdale's soul that is contributing to his declining health. One morning Chillingworth pushes aside Dimmesdale's shirt and reads the secret upon his heart. "Had a man seen old Roger Chillingworth, at that moment of his ectasty, he would have no need to ask how Satan comforts himself, when a precious human soul is lost to heaven, and won into his kingdom"(95). This is the climax point, where these two men become enemies and the secret unfolds. Chillingworth is described as a leech, because he is sucking the life out of Dimmesdale. "He dug into the poor clergyman's heart, like a miner searching for gold; or, rather, like a sexton delving a grave, possibly in quest of a jewel that had been buried on the dead man's bosom, but likely to find nothing save morality and corruption"(88). Chillingworth remains quiet about what he has found out. He sees Pearl, Hester, and Dimmesdale together at the scaffold where Hester made her statement at the beginning of the book. Dimmesdale express much hate towards Chillingworth for all of the tormenting. Hester tries to go talk to her husband to stop the tormenting, but Chillingworth refuses to stop. The truth must unfold. Election Day comes and Dimmesdale must make a speech. He can no longer keep the sin