Thursday, August 29, 2013
Chillingworth and Dimmesdale's Relationship
One thing I find really interesting about their relationship in the recent chapters is that Dimmesdale is aware that Chllingworth is out to get him. He has this hatred for the doctor because he knows that the man is constantly watching his every move and breathing down his neck. However, he makes no move at all to get rid of the leech. He suffers silently because of the physician and he doesn't really do anything against him. I'm thinking it's because he no longer has the energy to fight back because his guilt and the doctor's torment of him has sucked it away. What do you guys think?
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Maybe he doesn't want to fight back because he feels as if he diserves what he is getting like all the watching and the fear maybe he feels as if that could be his punishment.
ReplyDeleteI think Dimmeadale remains silent because he does not want his congregation to figure out that he has committed a sin as well. Dimmesdale wants Hester's husband to be unknown by the public. In the Scarlet Letter it states "The links that united her to the rest of human kind- links of flowers, or silks, or gold, or whatever the material - had all been broken. Here was the iron of mutual crime, which neither he nor she could break." Dimmesdale regrets the day of Hester's punishment because he was not next to her on the scaffold getting his fair share of being humiliated.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to what Benjamin said, I agree that ousting Chillingworth would reveal Dimmesdale's sins. After all, if Dimmesdale was just a righteous, pious being, what could Chillingworth possibly be tormenting him for?
ReplyDeleteI agree with both Darla and Benjamin. Dimmesdale doesn't fight back because he has regret. He wants to feel some punishment. Especially since he hasn't been by Hester's side.
ReplyDeleteWe all see the domino affect it would have if Dimmesdale would go against Chillingworth. Chillingworth has something against him, so Dimmesdale can't shake off his leech even if he wanted to. Also, I especially agree with Darla. He allows Chillingworth to torment him because he feels he deserves it.
ReplyDeleteI think he does not want to fight back because he does not know Chillingworth's plans and what he is capable of. He already tormented Dimmesdale almost to his death, what else will Chilingworth do to destroy the minister? Plus, I think Dimmesdale wants to preserve his identity since he is trying to escape England.
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