Isolation In Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter is a fictional novel set during 17th century in the Puritan colony of Boston, Massachusetts. Author Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the story of Hester Prynne, the young wife of scholar Roger Chillingworth, formally Roger Prynne, who gives birth to a daughter through a secret affair with the town’s Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and who must bear the shame of her actions. At different point in the novel, both men address Hester regarding her crime, which gives the reader insight about their character and motives. Dimmesdale is portrayed as a hypocritical clergyman who is too cowardly to face his shame, while Chillingworth is observed to be an introverted man who holds much power and seeks revenge.
In Dimmesdale’s speech to Hester

Chillingworth explains, “on this wild outskirt of the earth, I shall pitch my tent; for, elsewhere a wanderer, and isolated from human interests,” meaning he will live in the Puritan town, at the edge of civilisation, and he has been a traveller for some time, isolated from common human desires. By using primitive diction such as “wild,” “earth,” and “tent,” to describe the location where he, Chillingworth will live, he reveals that he dislikes the town’s isolation and desires to be in the cities of Europe. This isolation related diction helps express the man’s loneliness. Another point he makes is that “it is [his] purpose to live and die unknown,” meaning that he will throw out the name “Prynne”, and adopt “Chillingworth” as what he will be known as. His value for respect and honour can be seen here, as he does not wishes to be related Hester’s shame, or to her at all. This entire phrase is an allusion to Dimmesdale’s dilemma as it is the exact opposite. Chillingworth can be described as purposely isolating himself, while Dimmesdale isolates himself unintentionally, as he still want his sin to be revealed. Chillingworth later states that “[he] will not encounter the dishonour that besmirches the husband of a faithless woman.” The use of the negative expression when saying he “will not

Dimmesdale illustrates himself as a hypocritical-clergymen, too cowardly to share the blame for his sin, while Chillingworth expresses his need for honour and respect along with his search for vengeance against who will soon find out to be Dimmesdale. Both men fell for Hester’s beauty; Chillingworth had a loveless marriage with her but suffered a loss of dignity when Dimmesdale fell for love and had an affair. They both regard the source of their issue with Hester, as revealed later on in the novel, but the main difference between the two is how the cope with their “pain.” Dimmesdale refuses to share the shame with Hester and become highly hypocritical and cowardly when questions Hester, and wants her to reveal his sin. On the other hand, Chillingworth changes his identity and, like Dimmesdale hides his secret that would only lead to shame, but he seeks revenge against Dimmesdale. Their journey began on the same path, but a shared incident separated their lines, but soon enough the ended at the same place; both men die in the