American Renaissance literature is rich in symbolism, and in no author's work is this more evident than in that of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Perhaps the most popular of his works, The Scarlet Letter has long been dissected and analyzed by scholars and critics; repeatedly his characters have been torn apart and examined for their symbolic meaning. Among these characters, one of the most fascinating and controversial is Roger Chillingworth. In this novel, Hawthorne uses Chillingworth as both a symbol of evil and an embodiment of guilt. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay. Hawthorne exploits Chillingworth throughout the story as a personification of guilt. From the beginning, Chillingworth is described as "an old, distorted character, with a face that haunted the memory of men longer than they wished" (Male 30). A parallel can clearly be drawn here, as guilt tends to linger on the conscience and haunt the soul of the transgressor. In extreme circumstances, guilt can, as in the case of Roger Chillingworth, become a leech that drains all one's nervousness, will and physical energy. As a form of guilt, Chillingworth invades the mansion, which is commonly used as a symbol of the heart in Hawthorne's fiction (Male 30). Early in the novel, Chillingworth appears out of nowhere to confront Hester in her prison cell. Later, he manages to insinuate himself into Dimmesdale's house as a permanent resident. An integral part of Dimmesdale's life, just as the constant presence of guilt anguishes the conscience, Chillingworth makes the minister's life miserable. Dimmesdale is in perfect health until Chillingworth moves in. Soon after, his body slowly began to weaken and his health failed him. Although Chillingworth acts as a true friend to Dimmesdale, their conversations torment the Reverend and the doctor's medications only worsen his patient's symptoms. Chillingworth, as Guilt, attacks Dimmesdale's spiritual defenses and takes complete control of the minister's mind, body, and spirit (Stein 81). Just as running from guilt can cause spiritual torment, so Dimmesdale gives in to self-pity and moral cowardice and runs away. the colony, he will condemn himself to eternal hell (Stein 81). Only by knowing Chillingworth and confronting him face to face is the priest's moral growth possible (Male 30 years old). Until it is recognized, guilt will fester in the minister's heart. Chillingworth gradually shrivels as Hester and Dimmesdale come closer to his full recognition, taking his turn for the worse when Dimmesdale reveals his sin. It is said of Chillingworth that after Dimmesdale's death, "all his strength and energy - all his vital and intellectual force - seemed at once to desert him...he withered permanently, shriveled, and almost disappeared from mortal sight" ( Hawthorne 254). ). This is a clear illustration of how guilt, upon the revelation of sin, seems to dissolve. Throughout the novel, Roger Chillingworth becomes a representation of the horrific effects that evil can have on a person. Materialized outside the forest, a symbol of evil in itself (Baym 60), the doctor is first perceived by the people of Providence as a blessing. However, Chillingworth's carnal nature, separated from the spiritual, transforms him (http://ourworld.compuserve.come/homepages/jbair/realwit.htm). Through him, the reader sees, as Hawthorne says, "theman's faculty of transforming himself into a devil” (166). Physical evidence of his moral degradation is seen as the former appearance of this intellectual and studious man is gradually replaced by a look of fierce and inquisitive ugliness (Stein 80). These external alterations did not go unnoticed by his neighbors: at the beginning, his expression was calm, meditative, erudite. Now there was something ugly and evil in his face, which they had not noticed before… it became a widely disseminated message. According to opinion, the reverend… was haunted either by Satan himself- even, or by the emissary of Satan, in the guise of old Roger Chillingworth (Hawthorne 124). It was even rumored that the fire at Chillingworth's laboratory came straight from hell itself. There is not a part of Chillingworth's life where one cannot see some evidence of the destruction wrought upon the doctor by the evil which has overtaken him. One of the things most affected, and perhaps the one that has the greatest effect on other areas of one's life, is one's spiritual faith. When evil invades the soul, religious convictions seem to be the first to disappear. Although of Puritan origin, the doctor openly admits to Hester that he has long forgotten Christianity. It questions, even denies, the existence of the human soul, thereby rejecting the eternal nature of man. Further evidence of his spiritual deterioration occurs when Chillingworth refuses to forgive Dimmesdale, thus defying the work of grace. When Chillingworth rejects the fundamental spiritual values ​​that give meaning to life, he invites the catastrophe of moral anarchy (Stein 80). Hawthorne's theory of fatalism shows that retribution for sin is certain (Turner 58). Chillingworth and the “Black Man” he serves represent perverted goodness (Abel 73). If it is said that Chillingworth has been deformed since his birth and we know that physical deformity is often the symbol of a certain inner distortion (Ragussis 74), it is also affirmed that the doctor did not always have such bad practices. This does not mean, however, that his benevolence was so innate and habitual that a shift into malevolence was improbable. Chillingworth slowly evolves from a man capable of love to a man capable of committing the greatest sin in The Scarlet Letter. Although, like many other mortals, Chillingworth begins his journey down the path of sin as a rational human being, he quickly becomes overwhelmed by his goals. His desire for revenge and control causes him to lose contact with humanity and he becomes obsessed. Through the doctor, the reader can see how illness can cause a person to give up their identity and independence. As a leech, Chillingworth becomes completely dependent on Dimmesdale, as "a terrible fascination, a kind of fierce... necessity took hold of [him] in his anger, and never released him again until he didn’t do everything he wanted” (Hawthorne 125). Keep in mind: This is just a sample.Get a custom paper from our expert writers now.Get a Custom EssayAlthough Hawthorne's intentions regarding the portrayal of Roger Chillingworth in The Scarlet Letter remain controversial, it is agreed that he conceived Chillingworth as a powerful character. . In the analysis of this unforgettable character, two of the most widely accepted interpretations are Chillingworth as a symbol of evil and Chillingworth as a summary of guilt. The first is illustrated through the physical and spiritual transformations he undergoes throughout the novel. The latter is represented in the changes Dimmesdale undergoes throughout the Doctor's stay. Despite the, 1986., 1961.