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Chillingworth guilt
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Chapter 11 (XI)
1. Chillingworth plans to destroy Dimmesdale and make him suffer every single day. He wants to hurt him mentally so he goes through more than just the guilt he is already suffering from and to cause him more pain. He will turn into his biggest enemy. This is all because he found out that Dimmesdale is Pearl’s father and the one Hester betrayed him with. He loved Hester and wanted her to be his but she went and loved another man, which was Dimmesdale.
2. Dimmesdale sensed that there was something evil lurking around him, something that was causing him trouble, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. He doubted the old physician a few times due to his slightly strange and questionable acts. However, he ignored all his doubts and fears of Chillingworth. He continued to talk with him as though there was nothing wrong. Dimmesdale believed that his guilt was causing his sickness as well as him to distrust and fear everyone. He continued his normal attitude and discussions with Chillingworth believing his doubts to be false.
3. Dimmesdale’s gift is his voice. He has so much power and inspiration in his voice that everyone immediately wants to follow him and listen to what he says. People trust him very quickly and confide in him for advice.
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The meteor symbolizes the scarlet letter. When Hester walked out of her jail room with the “A” on her chest, everyone immediately looked at it. It was burning brightly against everything else and seemed to draw all eyes. The meteor lit up everything against the dark cloudy night sky as well. It appeared as if Dimmesdale, Hester, and Pearl “stood in the noon”, which Pearl had persisted about. She wanted Dimmesdale to stand with them and join her in their public shaming that she and Hester went through everyday. The meteor lit up everything as if it was daylight, just what Pearl was asking for. The meteor was representing Hester and Dimmesdale’s sin. Some of the townspeople even said that it looked like a burning
Like all humans, Dimmesdale had to pay the consequences of his evil deeds, but he would later learn from his mistakes and change from fragile to powerful, and his strength would renovate him almost into a new person. Dimmesdale may have died soon but at least he was at ease with himself that he had not died as a coward but had been honest to God, himself, his family, and the townspeople.
Instead of humbling himself in front of everyone in the beginning, he chooses his pride and his position of power over God’s merciful grace. In conclusion, with these arguments, it is indisputable that Dimmesdale experiences more guilt than any other character. He attempts every possible way to circumvent the inevitable.
Years ago, Hester promised Chillingworth to keep his identity a secret, thus allowing him to do evil to Dimmesdale. Chillingworth believes that it was his fate to change from a kind man to a vengeful fiend. He believes that it’s his destiny to take revenge and thus would not stop until he does so.
[having] a wild look of wonder, joy, and horror? (135) at the same time. Hawthorne goes further beyond this description by comparing this sudden outburst of emotion to Satan?s ecstasy by saying that the only factor which ?distinguished [Chillingworth?s] ecstasy from Satan?s was the trait of wonder in it? (135). As the reader delves deeper into the book, we come to the conclusion that Dimmesdale is indeed the father of Pearl, the product of the horrendous sin consummated through Dimmesdale?s and Hester?s illicit affair. This point brings us back to Chillingworth?s reaction to realizing this earlier at the end of chapter ten. Although this shocking news explains why Chillingworth might have been angry or horrified, it does not clarify why Chillingworth did not attempt to murder or poison Dimmesdale whilst he had the chance, especially since the reader knows from a point made by Chillingworth earlier in the book, that after Chillingworth had sought out the man who had an affair with his Hester, he would have his long sought-after revenge (73).
Unlike the rest of the townsfolk, Pearl is able to make this connection and questions the minister 's intentions. As the reverend of the town, Dimmesdale is seen by the Puritan society as a holy and just man, yet the readers are able to see past the clergyman 's façade to his true, miserable self. Hawthorne creates the noteworthy persona of Arthur Dimmesdale through the characteristics of being dishonest, cowardly, and secretive.
Chillingworth states, “What should ail me to harm this misbegotten and miserable babe? The medicine is potent for good.” (4:42) Although Hester believes that Chillingworth may be trying to poison Pearl, she allows him to administer the medicine to her. Shortly thereafter, the novel states that “it soon proved its efficacy, and redeemed the leech’s pledge.” (4:42) This is a direct affirmation from the book that Chillingworth was helping Pearl and Hester. His resentment is directed towards Dimmesdale, as he is the one who caused Hester to have an affair. However, even in his insanity, he was still able to help Pearl. This further shows that he has a good character, and that the only thing causing his bad temper is his distress over Hester’s
Chillingworth’s life’s purpose dies along with Dimmesdale. His strength and energy leaves him as he “shrivelled away.” He has made it his life's goal to get revenge on the man who had ruined his life but now that very person was no longer in the world. He wanted to punish Hester’s lover and Pearl’s father, who had wronged him too. With him gone, Chillingworth had no purpose to live and slowly withered away and died.
As a respected physician, Chillingworth was “a man of skill in all Christian modes of physical science, and li... ... middle of paper ... ... powerful grip over him, dies peacefully, and Chillingworth dies soon after. To plot revenge in any situation is harmful. Chillingworth’s plot of revenge brings the downfall of Dimmesdale, as well as his own.
When he says this, he is. hinting that he is going to do something for Dimmesdale. This is why Hester makes Chillingworth promise not to kill her lover if he finds out his identity. Chillingworth deserves to know who slept with his wife. although Hester should not have had to tell him. I think that Dimmesdale should have admitted that he was Pearl's father. Today, if a priest admitted such a crime, he would probably be sent to jail. However, in the novel, had Dimmesdale confessed, the townsfolk would have liked him even.
Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter, is considered by many to be a masterpiece. It was a culmination of everything Hawthorne experienced in his life. He grew up in a household that held fast to Puritan ideals. This affected him in ways he himself may not have even realized. “Nathaniel Hawthorne placed many undercurrents of meaning in this novel”(Tucker 16). At the climax of the story, a meteor flashes through the night sky. The appearance of this meteor at this particular moment in time contributes to the plot in many ways.
...scourse” (77). Dimmesdale as well, was greatly affected by the environment and by what was going on around him. Dimmesdale was accepted by society, but because he was greatly praised for being a “miracle of holiness” (125) he became greatly burdened and guilty. He was in a dilemma of wanting to tell all the townspeople about what he had done, yet he could not due to the fear that was inside of him. This pushed him to punishments in which he inflicted upon himself and always thinking about the incident pushed him to his limits mentally-seeing visions of his dead parents and Hester as they point a condemning finger at him along with judgmental looks in their eyes (127).
However, Dimmesdale is negatively affected by not facing any consequences. Dimmesdale becomes incredibly diseased and is not in a correct state of mind as he was “suffering under [a] bodily disease”(Hawthorne 66) and “looked now more careworn and emaciated” (Hawthorne 103) than ever before. These descriptions prove that Dimmesdale’s health is deteriorating at a very fast rate and that he is a very depressed man at this point because of all the guilt piling up inside of him. In addition to his disease, Dimmesdale is adversely affected by the punishments that he puts on himself. He begins to flog himself and deprive himself of sleep and food as a way to get rid of his guilt.
In The Scarlet Letter, symbolism in the symbolism in this novel plays a large part in the novel, in the scarlet letter “A” as a symbol of sin and then it gradually changes its meaning, guiltiness is symbolic in the novel, and of course the living evidence of the adulterous act, Pearl. The actions of Pearl, Dimmesdale and fate all return the letter of Hester. They give Hester the responsibilities of a sinner, but also the possibility to reconcile with her community, Dimmesdale and the chance to clean her reputation.
Dimmesdale. At first his expression had been calm, meditative, and scholar-like. "Now, there was something ugly and evil in his face, which they [people of the town] had not previously noticed, and which grew still the more obvious to sight the oftener they looked upon him.'; (Chpt. 9, p. 155) While pretending to be Dimmesdale's trusted confidant and physician, Chillingworth is actually slaying him by means of medicine and mental torture.
One of the main symbols of the novel is the basis for the title of the novel itself. Hester Prynne's scarlet letter is attached to her dress, and appears "in fine red cloth surrounded with an elaborate embroidery with fantastic flourishes of gold thread" (Hawthorne 60). The letter is said to have "the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity and enclosing her in a sphere by herself" (Hawthorne 61). The letter seems to be the focal point of Hester's figure, and the townspeople obsess about the blazing red sign of her sin for a long time after Hester's ignominy.