Chillingworth Character Analysis

Have you ever met that one person who was so vile you considered that they might even be the devil himself? Hawthorne has a character much like this in his book, although chances are this character might be a bit worse than your own personal devil. Chillingworth, Hawthorne 's devil, is called "the black man" several times throughout the novel and Hawthorne uses several different way to show just how devil-like Chillingworth can actually be. Evidence to show that Chillingworth is worthy of being called "the black man" is seen, not only in his actions and words but also in his appearance and his reaction to loss. One of the first things we see that hint at Chillingworth 's malevolent nature is his appearance. The very first thing we learn about

In the very first conversation Chillingworth has with Hester Prynne he begins to manipulate people to his will. He makes Hester promise not to reveal his true identity to anyone. At this point Chillingworth is compared to the black man for the first time. "Art thou like the black man that haunts the forest round about us? Hast thou enticed me into a bond that will prove the ruin of my soul?"(73) Chillingworth does not deny that he is like the back man, in fact he does not deny that her promise will lead to the ruin of another person 's soul, he only says it will not be her soul that is ruined. In the end Chillingworth 's soul is the one that must face damnation as he changes into the black

In the end of the book when Dimmesdale died Chillingworth lost his purpose in life and did not know how to move on. "all his strength and energy - all his vital and intellectual force-seemed at once to desert him; insomuch that he positively withered up, shriveled away, and almost vanished from mortal sight, like an uprooted weed that lies wilting in the sun." (246) Chillingworth lost everything at this point and began the terrible process of dying. Even then Hawthorne still chose to compare Chillingworth to a weed, an ugly unwanted thing, instead of something more beautiful like a rose. Chillingworth 's devotion to evil brought this upon him. If he had any good left in him Chillingworth would have been able to find a new purpose and may have even been able to change himself from the disgusting weed to the beautiful rosebush by the prison