The Guiltest among the main characters in The Scarlet Letter
AP Language Block A
Opinion Essay on the Scarlett Letter
October 7th 2013
The Guiltiest among the Main Characters
In The Scarlett Letter the three main characters, Roger Chillingworth, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Hester Prynne, are all accused of committing a sin, because of Theology a crime, in their Puritan society. Chillingworth is alleged of being “devilish”, Dimmesdale of lacking courage and having an intimate relationship with a married woman, and finally Hester Prynne of committing adultery. Out of these three, who is the guiltiest? In my opinion, Chillingworth is the guiltiest of these three because he, unlike Dimmesdale and Hester who did what they did for love, committed his crimes in a way in an “evil” way, he took advantage of a young and thus inexperienced, woman, and he tortured his wife’s lover in a way that would kill him of guilt. Roger Chillingworth was the husband of Hester Prynne and thus took the word “revenge” too seriously. His wife committed adultery during the two years he was away in Europe, which I agree must’ve put him in a horrible situation and made him feel awful, but what if he took responsibility for his own actions? What if he made Hester fall in love with him first, then asked her to get married and start their new life together as a happy married couple? No, Chillingworth exploited the young woman by persuading her into marrying him and since Hester was a young, impetuous, and stubborn woman she agreed on marrying him without listening to what anyone else thought, as we have come to know in the first couple of chapters of The Scarlet Letter. Hester did not love Chillingworth but was married to him. When the young woman felt the affection for Dimmesdale or each other and had a close relationship that was when the sin was committed. Dimmesdale, the minister in the Puritan Society and a high figure in the church, and Hester Prynne’s love was sinful--she was a married woman and he was a celibate clergy member. Even though it was
Opinion Essay on the Scarlett Letter
October 7th 2013
The Guiltiest among the Main Characters
In The Scarlett Letter the three main characters, Roger Chillingworth, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Hester Prynne, are all accused of committing a sin, because of Theology a crime, in their Puritan society. Chillingworth is alleged of being “devilish”, Dimmesdale of lacking courage and having an intimate relationship with a married woman, and finally Hester Prynne of committing adultery. Out of these three, who is the guiltiest? In my opinion, Chillingworth is the guiltiest of these three because he, unlike Dimmesdale and Hester who did what they did for love, committed his crimes in a way in an “evil” way, he took advantage of a young and thus inexperienced, woman, and he tortured his wife’s lover in a way that would kill him of guilt. Roger Chillingworth was the husband of Hester Prynne and thus took the word “revenge” too seriously. His wife committed adultery during the two years he was away in Europe, which I agree must’ve put him in a horrible situation and made him feel awful, but what if he took responsibility for his own actions? What if he made Hester fall in love with him first, then asked her to get married and start their new life together as a happy married couple? No, Chillingworth exploited the young woman by persuading her into marrying him and since Hester was a young, impetuous, and stubborn woman she agreed on marrying him without listening to what anyone else thought, as we have come to know in the first couple of chapters of The Scarlet Letter. Hester did not love Chillingworth but was married to him. When the young woman felt the affection for Dimmesdale or each other and had a close relationship that was when the sin was committed. Dimmesdale, the minister in the Puritan Society and a high figure in the church, and Hester Prynne’s love was sinful--she was a married woman and he was a celibate clergy member. Even though it was