Tuesday, 5 August 2008

What is the role of Chillingworth in "The Scarlet Letter"? Is it a tool to punish Arthur Dimmesdale or is there another role for him ?

has a role
of a victim in this story as well as punisher.  Chillingworth takes a part of the blame for the
sin, spelling things out a bit when he visitsin the jail cell.  He left to pursue enlightenment
outside of the colony and did not contact Hester at all.  Also, he refers to their life before
he left as not perfect, he was scholarly, she was his maid.  This could be the reason why
Hawthorne focuses on the /Chillingworth connection. 

As victim, he is the
"one on whom was cheated" and asks not to be revealed to the colony as Hester's
husband.  If he were to reveal his true identity, Hester would be put to death, name of the
father notwithstanding.  Not to mention, he would forever carry the stigma of being the one who
was not good enough to keep...

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