How Did Roger Chillingworth's Change In The Scarlet Letter

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The Scarlet Letter a novel about a woman shunned by puritan society, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The author was successful in displaying puritan society because during Hawthorne's early life he grew up in a puritan society. Roger Chillingworth, originally a kind man, returns from captivity only to find his wife was with another man; which has led him into a deep state of darkness by his plans of revenge. Roger Chillingworth, is a caring man towards Hester while they meet in the jail. Roger Chillingworth shows compassion to Hester during their discussion at the jail by showing her forgiveness for her adultery, following Hester stating that she has wronged him, Chillingworth speaks of how they have wronged each other saying, “Therefore, …show more content…

With Chillingworth’s progression with the forces of evil it is shown in certain physical attributes such as his eyes; “the spectator could see his blackness ll the better for it. Ever and anon, too there came a glare of red light out of his eyes; as if the old man’s soul were on fire, and kept on smouldering duskily within his breast, until, by some casual puff of passion, it was blown into a monetary flame.” (Hawthorne, 1994, p. 116). This red fire in Chillingworth’s eyes show the hatred and darkness that is burning up inside of him from his vengeance. Hawthorne also takes the time to specifically point out Chillingworth’s transformation towards a devil by writing “... Roger Chillingworth was a striking evidence of a man’s faculty of transforming himself into a devil…”(Hawthorne, 1994, p. 116). The significance of the translation of this quote shows that not only is Chillingworth an evil man, but also that he has made a transformation to his new form of evilness from his past. With Chillingworth’s slow change displaying evil within himself from his former displays of kindness in the …show more content…

Throughout the novel Chillingworth becomes an expert of torture. Chillingworth’s torment is so dreadful that he hopes to carry it out and spends a great length of time performing it making it seem like a curse on Dimmesdale “ Never did mortal suffer what this man has suffered. And all, all, in the sight of his worst enemy! He has been conscious of me. He has felt an influence dwelling always upon him like a curse.”(Hawthorne, 1994, pp. 117). This long term torment slowly tears down Arthur Dimmesdale ripping him apart especially due to the fact that he does not know who or what is tormenting him. This is shown to the reader during a conversation that Chillingworth takes part in with Hester where he says “ He knew, by some spiritual sense,—for the Creator never made another being so sensitive as this,—he knew that no friendly hand was pulling at his heart-strings, and that an eye was looking curiously into him, which sought only evil, and found it. But he knew not that the eye and hand were mine!”” (Hawthorne, 1994, p. 118). Throughout the novel Chillingworth is shown in a downward spiral into darkness to seek revenge on Dimmesdale and succeeded at this

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