Chillingworth, or Roger Prynne, enacts psychological warfare on Arthur Dimmesdale because he feels that Dimmesdale has cuckolded him. ... Roger Chillingworth tortures Arthur Dimmesdale by continually questioning the cause of his mysterious affliction and neglecting to clean Dimmesdale’s self-inflicted wound on his chest.
What does Chillingworth do to Dimmesdale at the end of Chapter 10?
At the end of Chapter 10 when Dimmesdale fell asleep, Roger Chillingworth “ thrust aside the vestment that, hitherto, had always covered it from the professional eye .” What did he see? He saw the letter A which Dimmesdale had been cutting into his chest from the moment Hester was punished for their sin.
What did Chillingworth do?
Using his position as a doctor, and under the guise of treating Dimmesdale’s unexplained sickness, Chillingworth manipulates Dimmesdale into insanity and a confession of sin before the entire community before dying .
Why did Chillingworth cure Dimmesdale?
Because Dimmesdale refuses to marry any of the young women who have devoted themselves to him, Chillingworth urges the town leadership to insist that Dimmesdale allow the doctor to live with him . In this way, Chillingworth may have a chance to diagnose and cure the younger man.
What is Chillingworth trying to convince Dimmesdale to do?
In telling about the grave, Chillingworth cautions Dimmesdale that it is bad for a person to die the way the person in that grave must have died. What is Chillingworth trying to convince Dimmesdale to do? ... He explains that Dimmesdale’s illness is from a secret he keeps.
What was Chillingworth’s secret?
He was “confessing” to God and himself and trying to make up for his sin in his own way. This confirms Chillingworth’s suspicions that Dimmesdale’s awful secret is that he is Pearl’s father and Hester’s lover . I hope that those thoughts helped; good luck!
How did Dimmesdale punish himself?
Dimmesdale begins to torture himself physically: he scourges himself with a whip, he fasts, and he holds extended vigils , during which he stays awake throughout the night meditating upon his sin.
Why is Chillingworth the worst sinner?
Analysis Of Chillingingworth, The Worst Sinner
In summary, Hester ‘s sin is the most mild because it is one of consensual passion . Dimmesdale ‘s sexual sin is mild as well, as it is one of reciprocated passion. Chillingworth ‘s sins are the worst, as they are ones of pure hatred and blasphemy.
Why did Hester cheat on Chillingworth?
He married a wife a generation younger than he. Hester’s unhappiness, due to a mismatched matrimony, leads her to become an adulteress. Chillingworth makes Hester to be unhappy. Her initial sadness, along with the three year absence of her husband, resulted in adultery .
Why is the scarlet letter A banned book?
“The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Published in 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” was censored on sexual grounds. The book has been challenged under claims that it is “pornographic and obscene .” The story centers around Hester Prynne, a young Puritan woman with an illegitimate child.
Why does Hester Prynne hate Chillingworth?
Why does Hester hate Chillingworth? She hates him for convincing her to marry him, even though she could never love him . She realized that at some point she would meet a man who she could love, and would eventually commit the sin of adultery. Hester refuses to answer Pearl’s question about the meaning of the “A”.
What does pearl call Chillingworth?
The Puritans often referred to the Devil as the Black Man , referring figuratively to the darkness of sin and evilness of deeds. Thus, when Pearl calls Chillingworth by this appellation, she seems to be identifying his sinfulness and wickedness.
Why is Chillingworth guilty?
He commits a major sin, of course, when he has an affair with Hester . The guilt about this secret sin ends up destroying him, although his guilt is fueled by Chillingworth’s psychological torment. Compared to the intense emotion Dimmesdale feels about the affair, Chillingworth, while hurt, is much more clinical.
Does Hester still love Dimmesdale?
During the past seven years Dimmesdale has been continually tormented by the dichotomy between what he is and what people believe him to be. ... Hester realizes that she still loves Dimmesdale , and she courageously tells him this, even as she reveals her silence concerning Chillingworth.
Does Chillingworth forgive Hester?
It seems obvious at this point that Chillingworth is seeking revenge on Dimmesdale for what has happened, although he has forgiven Hester . Along with revenge, Chillingworth also seems to take great satisfaction in Dimmesdale’s tormented life.
What has Chillingworth become obsessed with?
Although Chillingworth initially seems like he is sympathetic to Hester, his comments reveal the darker reality that he is obsessed with uncovering the identity of his wife’s lover . Chillingworth speaks this line to Hester, as he explains that he doesn’t blame her for being unhappy with their marriage.
