Thursday, August 20, 2015
Chillingworth being upset or hurt????????????
What I don't understand is why Chillingworth is getting so upset or hurt about Hester committing adultery. He knew she didn't love him and he basically forced her or tricked her into that marriage. Also he was gone for years, he left her by herself in a place that was new to her. She was bound to cheat on him.
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I think he was just holding on to false hope that she would learn to love him.
ReplyDeleteI've discussed this with Powell and she and I both sympathize with chillingworth. He didn't do anything uncommon or profoundly villainious. At the time arranged marriages were common, and he was never abusive to her mentally or physically. I don't think he intimidated her into marriage. He even said that he hoped his love for her would change her mind, make her look past his appearance. Furthermore, he didn't leave her or abandon her. He was captured and the only thing he really had motivating him to continue on, was Hester. He was away from society for 2 years and all he had was Hester to hope for. So it must of been devastating to make it back home, back to the life he's hoped for for years, only to find it so distorted. And his reaction is so saddening. He just gives up, accepting that Hester would never see past his physical form, that no amount of love from him would ever change her's. I don't believe it was Hester's adultery that upset him, I think it was the fact that she found someone else. The realization that he would probably never find true love, and that no amount of effort from him can change how people veiw him. I believe that Hester unknowningly, and unintentionally broke him. And that's why he is so upset, so hurt.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Pamela because he was just holding on to a false hope, I mean, look at Hester and her age; it was just not going to work out perfectly.
ReplyDeleteI dont think it was the newly shown fact that Hester wasnt in love with more so that she dishonored and shamed him. Adultery was considered a sin and punished by death in most cases in that puritan society. It was more the fact that he could bring upon him this dishonor and still not give up the name of the man who she commited this crime with.
ReplyDeleteMy question is, why did Hester commit adultery in the first place? She seems like a respectful wife, and even though she never loved Chillingworth, she would never disrespect him or their marriage like the way she did. I also agree with Chris, during that time arranged marriage was very common. I felt sympathy towards Chillingworth because he still hoped that maybe within time, Hester will learn to love him. On the other hand, if Chillingworth wanted Hester to love him and he wanted to be with her, then why did he leave for such a long time? Did it never occur to him that she might feel lonely? I think that Chillingworth should have expected for Hester to have an affair if he was gone for such a long time without any word from him.
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