I think Chillingworth's torture of Dimmesdale isn't morally right, but I do think that he needs to confront the problem and face it in a way he needs to so that he may finally find peace and comfort. Now before some call me insane for saying that , you first have to understand the factors that may be contributing to Chillingworth's insanity. For instance, this betrayal was not only damaging emotionally, but it also may have affected him mentally as well. This ordeal may have caused him to lose sight of his true self, lost the trust in others, and most horrifically he may have also lost the compassion for basic human moralities. The revenge is needed, to allow Chillingworth to have closure and perhaps the only way to find his comfort is to inflict the same amount of distress that Dimmesdale has caused him. On (page.118) this type of perspective was expressed when Chillingworth dug into Dimmesdale's soul and " animal nature" so that he may experience the despair he caused and so that Chillingworth could also find the deep dark secrets that Dimmesdale may be hiding deep within his conscious. Although, Chillingworth may be comforted by the warm blanket of anger and sin, he will later be lost in the dark ominous cave of sorrow of what he had done.
For some, they will express no sorrow for the despair they had caused to others. On the other hand, others have a perspective that revenge is a dish best served cold, but later on remorse and despair is a side dish that comes along with the sin of revenge.
For some, they will express no sorrow for the despair they had caused to others. On the other hand, others have a perspective that revenge is a dish best served cold, but later on remorse and despair is a side dish that comes along with the sin of revenge.
This picture symbolizes how, Dimmesdale is a good man, that made a dumb mistake. For keeping his silence and acting cowardly, he is gripped with guilt and shame, as well as Chillingworth poking pins into his soul, so that he could inflict pain and more suffering onto Dimmesdale. Light is shined down onto Dimmesdale, because he is experiencing the 'spot-light effect' of the situation. http://shauntee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/revenge-on-my-ex.jpg |
Jefferson C.