Chillingworth's Names In The Scarlet Letter

The U.S. Census Bureau conducted a study to count the number of different surnames that occur in the United States. In 2000, they released a list containing 151,671 unique surnames (“Popular Last Name” 1). The wide variety of names have floated down through history from generation to generation. In the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne the character's names vary but each demonstrate the purpose in which they play to the plot. Pearl’s name emphasizes the importance she plays to her mother; however, Chillingworth’s name exemplifies his personality. Hawthorne utilizes the significance of “Chillingworth” and “Pearl” to reflect the character's charisma. Pearl’s name highlights the value and significance she is to her mother; just as lavish

Chillingworth lives as a secretive man whom the townspeople know little about. Ever since his arrival in Boston, Chillingworth keeps information about his past life and about himself in seclusion. He soon gains the trust of the townspeople to take care of the health and life of their pastor, Reverend Dimmesdale. Chillingworth now nurtures Dimmesdale until he shall reach a stable state of recovery. He utilizes this opportunity to reveal his inner-evil by beginning an “investigation...with a severe and equal integrity” (Hawthorne 118) on Dimmesdale because of his suspicion that Dimmesdale possesses the role of Pearl’s father. Also meaning that he has committed adultery with Chillingworth’s wife. Chillingworth is taking advantage of the poor mental and physical health of the Reverend for the purpose of getting justice and revenge on the man whom his wife cheated on him with. On numerous occasions, Chillingworth torments Dimmesdale by mentioning and “beating-around-the-bush” of the idea that Pearl is his daughter. He even goes to the malicious action of physically tearing apart Dimmesdale, and maybe even killing him, with “magic and poisonous drugs” (Hawthorne 234). By the torture of Dimmesdale’s spiritual and bodily states, Chillingworth’s cold-hearted nature parallels with his negatively connotated