Theme Of Forgiveness In The Scarlet Letter

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In the novel The Scarlet Letter written Hawthorne there are 4 main characters, Hester Prynne, Pearl Prynne, Roger Chillingworth, and Arthur Dimmesdale. They each have to come face to face with being able to someone or themselves. Some were able to forgive, like Pearl Prynne while others were unable like Roger Chillingworth. Each had different outcomes. One Person that had to deal with forgiveness in The Scarlet Letter was Chillingworth. Who was unable to deal with forgiveness in The Scarlet Letter. Chillingworth has to deal with whether or not to forgive Dimmesdale, who is the man who made Chillingworth’s wife, Hester Prynne, pregnant. In the novel, it is clear that Chillingworth will not be able to forgive Dimmesdale. As we see him torturing Dimmesdale throughout the course of the novel. As Chillingworth continues to torture Dimmesdale it starts to become an obsession that consumes Chillingworth. An example that shows this in the article where it is stated, “that old man’s revenge has been blacker than my sin. He has violated, in cold blood, the sanctity of a human heart” (Pg. 71 Wagenknecht). The obsession Chillingworth has is eventually what aids in his demise. …show more content…

He had to decide whether or not to forgive Chillingworth for torturing him after all these years. When it comes to his decision on whether or not he should forgive the foe of The Scarlet Letter, Roger Chillingworth, he comes to the conclusion he must forgive him. Dimmesdale decides as he is nearing death that he needs to forgive Chillingworth for what he has done, so that he can die without any regrets. We know he has forgiven Chillingworth because as he is climbing the scaffold he says, “ May God forgive thee” (Pg. 281 Hawthorne). The result of Dimmesdale’s forgiveness to Chillingworth let him die

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