Character Analysis Roger Chillingworth

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Chillingworth is a manipulative individual who gains control of his adversaries and takes advantage of them to support his cause. For instance, Chillingworth convinces a sailor that he and Dimmesdale are intimate companions and is part of Hester’s group to sail for Europe. Consequently, he ruins Hester’s plan to live a life alone with Dimmesdale. Likewise, when Hester affirms that she has been untrue to Dimmesdale by not regarding him of his true identity, Chillingworth replies by stating, “'What choice had you? My finger, pointed at this man, would have hurled him from his pulpit into a dungeon.'” In this scene, Chillingworth implies that he is more than capable of having Dimmesdale locked in a dungeon.

Additionally, Chillingworth has transformed himself into a decrepit man because of the strong desire to fulfill his retribution against Dimmesdale. In his interview with Hester, Chillingworth states that the man who fathered Pearl “will be mine.” In stating this, he has worked exhaustingly to conquer this man in spite of his deteriorating health. Furthermore, the author describes many instances where Chillingworth’s health has downgraded with each meeting with Hester. Although Chillingworth wants Dimmesdale to suffer, he does not realize that he himself is leading to his own demise. …show more content…
His primary reason for keeping Reverend Dimmesdale alive was for the sole purpose of tormenting him both physically and mentally. Correspondingly, Chillingworth wants Dimmesdale’s fall to be gradual so it will satisfy his hatred towards him. At the concluding chapters of the book, when Dimmesdale attempts to confess his sin to the townspeople, Chillingworth pursues him to stop because he is aware that he will no longer be able to torment Dimmesdale. The mentality of Chillingworth’s vengeance has driven him to cause cruel and profound acts on

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moment Roger Chillingworth first appears in the novel, Nathaniel Hawthorne characterizes him as a villain. He appears as Hester stands on the scaffold, accepting her punishment for being unfaithful. As soon as Hawthorne introduces Chillingworth, he is meant to make the audience uncomfortable. He is deformed, ugly, and above all, vengeful. Chillingworth’s outer appearance physically represents the man he is on the inside. The most important aspects of Chillingworth’s development as a character are the…

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