“Ah,” replied Roger Chillingworth, with that quietness which, whether imposed or natural, marked all his deportment, “it is thus that a young clergyman is apt to speak. Youthful men, not having taken a deep root, give up their hold of life so easily! And saintly men, who walk with God on earth, would fain be away, to walk with him on the golden pavements of the New Jerusalem.”
“Nay,” rejoined the young minister, putting his hand to his heart, with a flush of pain flitting over his brow, “were I worthier to walk there, I could be better content to toil here."
This quote is very significant. The quote spurred from a conversation Chillingworth was having with Reverend Dimmesdale. Reverend Dimmesdale had been acting weird lately, and the fact that Hester turned to him to help her when they wanted to take away baby pearl seems to hint that the Reverend is the father, especially the way he went about defending Hester. Reverend Dimmesdale also seems to feel a great guilt that has been quite literally eating away at him, this quote perhaps best exemplifies how he sees himself, as a sinner not belonging in the realm of god.
Q1: Does Chillingworth suspect the Reverend to be Pearl's father?
Q2: Why does Reverend Dimmesdale refuse help from Chillingworth, but has Chillingworth at his side most of the time?
Q3: Is Hawthorne hinting Dimmesdale to be the father by using the wild Pearl and making her seem kind and innocent when she sees Dimmesadale?
Q1: Chillingworth starts to notice the Reverend's "earnestness" way of speaking when defending Hester. Furthermore, he starts to have doubts about Hester and Dimmesdale and even suspects a deeper connection than that of a minister to a martyr.
ReplyDeleteQ2: Reverend Dimmesdale doesn't quite refuse to accept Chillingworth's help, he refuses the medical help that is being suggested. Dimmesdale seems to find himself deserving the punishment of death, for he is holding in some kind of guilt that can only be relieved once he dies. Moreover, they start to bond after the Reverend accepts the medical help that the physician offers.
Q3: It can be seen as Pearl's intuition that drives her to be kind to Dimmesdale. However, the logical explanation to her kindness is that Dimmesdale defended her mother which caused Pearl to like the Reverend, as an act of grace.