Roger Chillingworth in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Roger Chillingworth in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

In the novel The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, a character by the name of Roger Chillingworth had committed the worst sin of all; he basically killed another character, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. Everyone has been in a position where they have had the chance of blackmailing or plotting revenge on someone. Chillingworth did exactly that and ended torturing Dimmesdale to his death. Dimmesdale was not the single one affected by Chillingworth's devilish doings. Chillingworth had a wife, but no one knew of their relationship. Her name was Hester Prynne and she had an tactless child named Pearl. The Reverend Dimmesdale had an affair with Hester, and he is the real father of Pearl. Throughout the novel the people of Boston were withheld this information, along with the information of Hester's real husband.

Chillingworth was a physician, or back in those days a doctor was called a leech. Dimmesdale started to feel ill, that was the beginning of the end for him. Dimmesdale became more than just a patient of Chillingworth, but a roommate as well. Being in such close contact with Dimmesdale, Chillingworth came to know the minister's most private emotions, and began to suspect that Dimmesdale's illness was the result of a deep secret that at no time had been confessed to another. In a conversation with Hester, Chillingworth made a vow to discover the real father of Pearl, and let everyone know about him.

In a conversation with Dimmesdale, Chillingworth brings up the question of why anyone would be willing to carry "secret sins" to his grave instead of confessing them during his lifetime. Dimmesdale and Chillingworth exchanged thoughts. Chillingworth's said, "Wouldst thou have me to believe, O wise and pious friend, that a false show can be better--can be more for God's glory, or man's welfare-than God's own truth? Trust me, such men deceive themselves!"(129) After hearing this Dimmesdale felt uneasy and changed the subject. This act caused Chillingworth to become suspicious. A few days later, Chillingworth found Dimmesdale asleep in a chair. Chillingworth silently moved in on Dimmesdale. Once Chillingworth had reached Dimmesdale's body, he swiftly removed Dimmesdale's church robe and saw the scarlet letter on the chest before him, which ended Chillingworth's search for the father of Pearl.

Now that Chillingworth knew Hester and Dimmesdale's secret, his change to evil was complete. Chillingworth had gone from a caring individual to a devil.

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