What Does Chillingworth Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter

Dimmesdale is the town’s reverend, whom is looked upon as god by the town’s people. But what no one knows is that he has committed a sin in which he will not tell anyone. This is his greatest secret and greatest fear. This secret he holds is causing his health to deteriorate and cause his to be very ill. Instead of him confessing his sin he chooses to inflict self-punishment; such as fasting, scourging, and all night vigils. He committed the sin of adulthood with Hester Prynn, this sin caused Hester to bear a child. Reverend Dimmesdale is connected to Hester by their child pearl.

Although Chillingworth doesn’t know if Dimmesdale is the one who committed the sin with Hester, he still interviews Dimmesdale as if he is a suspect for this sin:“It is as well to have made this step,” said Roger Chillingworth to himself, looking after the minister with a grave smile. “There is nothing lost. We shall be friends again anon. But see, now, how passion takes hold upon this man, and hurrieth out of himself! As with one passion, so with another! He hath done a wild thing ere now, this pious Master Dimmesdale, in the hot passion of his heart!”(125). Earlier in the book when Chillingworth is talking to Hester, Hawthorne describes a smile that the physician has that makes Hester wonder if he is like the Black Man. This smile is displayed again when Dimmesdale rushes out of the room. Chillingworth’s smiles seem to emulate his obsession. Everytime he is trying to find out who committed this sin, or even thinks about it, he smiles. This smile is described as grave, which means, giving cause for alarm. Chillingworth has said that he wants to ruin the soul of whoever committed the sin with Hester. The description of this smile was not meaningless; Chillingworth could already be suspecting Dimmesdale of this sin, and even plotting his revenge. Chillingworth also talks about passion, which is interesting because passion has been talked about when Hester is in the picture.

Reverend Dimmesdale is thin and sickly and always clutches at his chest so Chillingworth becomes his hope for getting better. Though Dimmesdale doesn’t believe medicine can heal him, he caves and agrees to let Chillingworth help him. The two men spend time together and Chillingworth believes that he should analyze the reverend spiritually, physically, and mentally in order to cure him. Over time, they think it is a good idea for them ot temporarily move in together, being that Dimmesdale wasn’t married. Some of the townspeople think it is wise but others start thinking Chillingworth has “ugly and evil in his face” and that he has changed. Chillingowrth is dedicated to finding out who committed adultery with Hester. I think this shows shis darker side that he would do anything to reveal whom his wife cheated on him with.

Attempting to hide his past relationship with Hester Chillingworth changed his name. Dimmesdale is ill which is affecting his heart greatly. Chillingworth suggests that Dimmesdale lives with the doctor. The men live in a home near a cemetery previously owned by a widow. As time passes the citizens begin to get a satanic feel given off by Chillingworth. Chillingworth brings back a weed that Dimmesdale questions. Chillingworth states he found it upon someone's grave. Pearl pulls her mother away saying the black man has gotten the minister. Dimmesdale has a mark on his chest that makes the doctor happy. Chillingworth continues play tricks with Dimmesdale’s mind. Dimmesdale begins to have dreams which keep him awake. Dimmesdale blames himself because

Nathaniel Hawthorne crammed The Scarlet Letter with religious symbolism. One of the most interesting symbols is that of Chillingworth as the devil. All through the novel there are numerous indications and relations that verify the fact that Chillingworth is a delegate for the king of darkness.

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.

Reverend Dimmesdale was a renowned, prideful man stricken with sin and extreme guilt.  From the time Hester and Dimmesdale made love, he was grievous of his sin but he also felt a great love towards her.  Dimmesdale's stubborn pride troubled him greatly, and although he tried many times, he could not confess his sin to his religious followers.  Dimmesdale felt guilt so strongly that he scourged himself on his breast and patterned an “A” into his own flesh, yet he could not confess his sin until his grief grew so great it caused him to perish.  Reverend Dimmesdale's sin was greater than Hester's because he let his pride conflict with his repentance, and let his life be ruined by his anguish.

Firstly, Chillingworth is Dimmesdale's truest enemy because of his sin. While speaking to Hester Prynne in the prison, Chillingworth asks, "But, Hester, the man lives who wronged us both! Who is he?" (Hawthorne 52). The idea that someone made him a cuckold leads Chillingworth to become angry and desire that person to be hurt. As stated in the text when Chillingworth learned that Dimmesdale was the one he sought, "…which lead him to imagine a more intimate revenge than any mortal had ever wreaked upon an enemy... He became thenceforth, not a spectator only, but a chief actor, in the poor minister's world. He could play him as he chose" (Hawthorne 96). Now that Chillingworth knows who to take

Hester comes to the conclusions that she hates her past husband and that he had wronged her worse than she had him after recalling memories from her time, as is wife. The context of these memories had a happy appearance, but when Hester looks back upon them, she views them as some of her most unpleasant memories. She sees that when Rodger Chillingworth had convinced her to be happy by his side, when she did not know better, he had wronged her worse than any future acts she would commit against him. From this the narrator takes away the lesson that a man should never marry a woman unless she loves him with all her heart and passion. Hawthorne believes that if a man marries a woman without all her love, she will accuse him of providing her with

Dimmesdale’s condition becomes no better, especially under the intrusive care of Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s husband, who of course has ulterior motives for agreeing to be his caretaker. Towards the end of the novel, Dimmesdale’s conditions spike, but this time in a positive way; this of course occurring after he accepts his sin and makes plans to flee the town with Hester and Pearl. Racing through the town, Dimmesdale feels energetic and impulsive, wanting to say to everyone that he passes “‘I am not the man for who you take me! I left him yonder in the

Authors employ symbolism to convey a complex idea and incorporate a deeper understanding of a novel. Many writers exert symbolism through an object, character, or a circumstance that signifies a deeper meaning rather than directly pointing out how they feel about their novel. In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne includes symbols to represent his life experiences under Puritan ideals. Hawthorne uses symbolism in the names of the following characters; Hester Prynne, Roger Chillingworth, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Pearl which represents different aspects of each characters personality. Hawthorne selected these names based on biblical references, Puritan era, and evocative names. In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne writes a historical and romantic fiction novel riddled with symbolism to help portray a profound understanding of the main characters.

After he becomes lovers with Hester in a moment of weakness, Dimmesdale is torn apart by his desires to confess to his sins, yet maintain his purity in the eyes of the townspeople.

Though Reverend Dimmesdale is to cowardly to reveal his sin, of secretly fathering Pearl, this is not to say that he does not feel the remorse of it. On the contrary, Dimmesdale is ridden with guilt. He cannot bring himself to reveal his actions, so instead he tortures himself in secret. Dimmesdale fasts till he almost faints, and whips himself till he bleeds. He is also haunted by Hester’s former Husband, Roger Chillingworth. Chillingworth exacts revenge upon Dimmesdale, for impregnating his wife, by constantly trying to extract the truth from him. All of Dimmesdale’s pain, guilt, and shame are embodied in a brand on his chest that resembles the scarlet letter. The brand blazes causing Dimmesdale pain, and he believes it is an affliction sent by God. Throughout the book it is clear that Dimmesdale is feeling the retribution of his sin.

In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, symbolsim is constantly present in the actual scarlet letter “A” as it is viewed as a symbol of sin and the gradally changes its meanign, guilt is also a mejore symbol, and Pearl’s role in this novel is symbolic as well. The Scarlet Letter includes many profound and crucial symbols. these devices of symbolism are best portayed in the novel, most noticably through the letter “A” best exemplifies the changes in the symbolic meaning throughout the novel.

In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author presents three symbols that all reinforce the main idea of the novel. The main idea that reoccurred throughout the novel is that people don’t have to let their mistakes or circumstances determine who they are or what they become; it’s all in how one interprets life. Many symbols may seem as just an ordinary character or coincidental object to some readers, but the symbols have a deeper, underlying meaning. Although there are many symbols in this book, there are three that really help support the main idea: Hester Prynne’s scarlet letter, the meteor, and Hester’s daughter Pearl.