The Scarlet Letter - Roger Chi :: essays research papers

Imagine a man having insecurities of his own, with a somewhat twisted andunpretentious appearance, finding that his spouse had betrayed him. For RogerChillingworth, it was a completely heart-breaking devastation. In The ScarletLetter, Chillingworth is the husband of Hester Prynne. When they married, heknew that she didnt love him, but still proceeded to commit the rest of his manners to her. Consequently, a story of forbidden passion, hatred, and jealousy unfolds.Starting off as a scholar, Roger Chillingworth finds himself in a doctorsposition later in the book. His back is deformed, and unity shoulder is higher than the other, giving him a hunchbacked appearance. Chillingworth is not physically attractive and very slender. His eyes have a immobile, penetrating power, (Chpt. 10, p. 157) and he is a loner. Old Roger Chillingworth, throughout life, had been calm in temperament, kindly, though not of warm affections, but ever, and in all his relations with the world, a pure and upr ight man. (p. 157, Chpt. 10) He enjoys canvas and the pursuit of knowledge.      When Chillingworth finds out that Hester cheated on him, he cannot beblamed for being dismayed and livid. He feels betrayed, and calls Hesters sinunpardonable. His rage quickly becomes resentment, and he develops a strongdesire to find out with whom Hester had an affair with. Chillingworth seeksnothing but revenge. When Arthur Dimmesdale defends Hester and her actions,Chillingworth begins his suspicion.      Chillingworth quickly becomes determined to withdraw the truth fromDimmesdale, who in fact was the man for whom Hester had betrayed him. Thespite Chillingworth feels towards Dimmesdale grows stronger as his suspicionabout Hester and Dimmesdale seems more and more likely. Chillingworth planshis vengeance during all of his waking hours. He becomes close to Dimmesdale,hoping maybe he would get a confession, but it didnt happen. The ii soon lived together, while Chillingworth still prodded. From then on, Dimmesdales life became miserable. Roger Chillingworths aspect had undergone a remarkablechange while he had dwelt in town, and especially since his abode with Mr.Dimmesdale. At first his expression had been calm, meditative, and scholar-like. "Now, there was something ugly and evil in his face, which they people of the town had not previously noticed, and which grew still the more obvious to sight the oftener they looked upon him. (Chpt. 9, p. 155) While dissembling to be Dimmesdales trusted confidant and physician, Chillingworth is actually slaying him by means of medicine and mental torture.