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The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter
11/01/08
Period 5
In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne’s statement “No man for any considerable
period can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting
bewildered as to which may be the true” (212) best relates to Roger Chillingworth.
punishments upon Hester and Reverend Dimmesdale. His personal interests are to
publicly expose his malicious plans. Thus, he is referred to as the devil due to his
wickedness and immorality. Roger Chillingworth presents himself as a good man, the
physician or “leech” of the society, however little is the society aware of his malice
Part of his malicious plan is to ruin Hester and Dimmesdale in public. During the
three times on the scaffold, he shows his evil face in a secret way. The first time Hester
appears on the scaffold to pay for her sin of committing adultery Roger is seen hiding and
asking other people about Hester “I pray you good Sir...who is this woman?- and
wherefore is she here set up to the public shame?” (56). He says that he was captured by
a Native Americans and held captive for a while and has came back. He acts as if he isn’t
aware of Hester and the questions about her. Instead of claiming Hester as is his wife he
keeps it away from the public so he can seek his revenge in private. The second time on
the scaffold, he is hiding among the darkness in which Hester and Dimmesdale are
looking “need different quote The third time on the scaffold he attempts to
stop Reverend Dimmesdale from announcing his sin publicly. He is upset and
disappointed that Dimmesdale confessed his sin; rather he planned to reveal the father in
public. “Thou hast escaped me!” (251) he repeated multiple times. Roger had wanted to
reveal Dimmesdale to the public for what he really was, but when Dimmesdale did it
himself, he was infuriated. Roger’s malicious plan to ruin Hester and Dimmesdale was
foiled.
Roger’s individual character beliefs affect his social identity. Amongst the society
of Salem he is seen as a good doctor. People believe he is innocent and he is a good man
as well as physician. However, the public is little aware of his evil ideas. He wants to
punish and exact his vengeance on Hester rather than to help her. He needed an alibi in
order to enter the prison that Hester is incarcerated in for her crime and he enters as a
physician to treat Hester “He described himself as a man of skill in all Christian modes of
physical science, and likewise familiar with whatever the savage people could teach”
(65). He gives Hester a potion to drink but Hester refuses and he assures her that he isn’t
trying to poison or kill her. He wants her to stay alive so he can attain vengeance. He
forces her to promise not to reveal his identity. This evil idea will help him seek revenge
Roger is by far, the worst sinner amongst the group; Hester Prynne, Arthur
Dimmesdale, and himself. Roger had committed horrible deeds on his path to harm
Dimmesdale and Hester’s reputation- his plans of revenge. It is also said, by Dimmesdale
“________ADD QUOTE” (PG #) which shows that other think that he is an even worse
sinner than the other two. It was not only that fact that he wished for the worse between
the two lovers, but also because he carried out his plans. By the end, his plans were
revealed after Hester tells Dimmesdale what is really happening “Thou hast long had
such an enemy. And dwellest with him, under the same roof!” (190). Roger had infiltrated