I longed to kindle one!”Ĭhillingworth trying to make us readers and Hester Prynne feel bad for him. The world had been so cheerless! My heart was a habitation large enough for many guests, but lonely and chill and without a household fire. But up to that epoch of my life, I had lived in vain. Even though he’s constantly being called the Devil in this story, Chillingworth is all about life and health.((((((Roger Chillingworth > Hester Prynne)))))
He wants Hester and Dimmesdale to be as healthy as can be so they can feel their punishment and the judgment of others as fully as possible. The interesting thing is that instead of killing people, Chillingworth keeps them alive. “Live, therefore, and bear about thy doom with thee, in the eyes of men and women-in the eyes of him thou didst call thy husband-in the eyes of yonder child! And, that thou mayst live, take off this draught.” He noticed her involuntary gesture, and smiled. Apparently, Chillingworth is so good as the whole creepy thing that he’s actually being confused for the Devil.((((Hester Prynne > Roger Chillingworth))))))Īs he spoke, he laid his long forefinger on the scarlet letter, which forwith seemed to scortch into Hester’s breast, as if it had been red-hot.
You’d think that, if you sold your soul to the devil, you’d know about it-but here, Hester is trying to figure out if she actually did. “Art thou like the Black Man that haunts the forest round about us? Hast thou enticed me into a bond that will prove the ruin of my soul?” “Why dost thou smile so at me?” inquired Hester, troubled at the expression of his eyes.