How Did Chillingworth's Change In The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter follows the life of Hester Prynne after she commits adultery and is forced to wear the scarlet letter upon her bosom for the rest of her life. Hawthorne uses setting, allusion, metaphor, irony, and diction to set a sombre tone. In chapter 9, Hawthorne reveals the evil qualities of Roger Chillingworth and Reverend Dimmesdale’s disposition. In the battle of good and evil, good does not always win.

Upon Roger Chillingworth’s arrival to Boston, he discovers his wife being publicly shamed for a crime. Though the name of the mysterious lover was not yet revealed, Chillingworth changes his identity to mask the details of his past and pursuit “a new purpose; dark, it is true” as he lusts for revenge (Hawthorne, 72). Chillingworth takes an interest in Reverend Dimmesdale and, using his European science and native science
They even suspect that Chillingworth may not be who he is based on the testimony of an aged handicraftsman. However when Chillingworth first arrived they “were inclined to see a providential hand in Robert Chillingworth’s so opportune arrival” (Hawthorne, 74). They had seen Chillingworth as a Godly character that had been sent to help take care of their reverend while Chillingworth was just plotting his revenge. As Chillingworth and Dimmesdale’s relationship developed, opening a window, Dimmesdale felt he was “admitting a freer atmosphere into the close and stifled study” (Hawthorne, 75). When in the presence of Chillingworth, Dimmesdale felt a lot of tension and opening the window was i na sense, his escape. Though Dimmesdale “had his suspicions” he went along with Chillingworth practices as “rejecting the aid which Providence so manifestly held out” was considered a sin (Hawthorne,