Join David, Heidi, and special guest, Karen Swallow Prior, for a conversation about this very famous and much-taught novel. Conversation touches on why this book has such a significant role in American English classrooms; Chillingsworth’s, well, chilling role; little Pearl’s emergence as a meaningful character; and much more. As always: happy listening!
Is there any significance in the way Hester is most often referred to as “Hester Prynne” and much less often as just “Hester”?
Also, the way the author/narrator went out of his way to point out how very different Pearl is, and how she has a demonic sort of aspect to her personality, and how beautiful she is, and so on, really made me think of Cathy and her introduction in East of Eden. I do like that the author is also pointing out Pearl’s other side, of course, and thus I have hope (never having read this book before) that Pearl will not share Cathy’s other tendencies.
At the risk of my own reputation, but in solidarity with Hester and respect for this community, I feel this is the appropriate time to admit that Easy A is one of my favorite movies, albeit a guilty pleasure. May I now be branded with whatever symbol of shame anyone deem necessary.
Why does Roger Chillingworth give himself the name “Chillingworth”?
Roger and Hester were married, and therefore, I assume, would have had the same last name (“Prynne”). P. 134 says “ … old Roger Chillingworth, as he was hereafter to be named,” implying that this is not his original name.
Chillingworth is obviously a really symbolic name, but the fact that he gave it to himself seems to say something about how he sees himself.
Under Puritan rule, if Hester’s husband has definitely survived the journey from England and appears alive and well under his own name, she is guilty not of the lesser crime of fornication, but of adultery which is punishable by death. He appears under an alias because he wants her kept alive so he can find out what happened (was Hester raped or seduced? By whom? etc.)
As to why the name “Chillingworth,” my guess is that it is because he has divorced himself of the human passions Hester and Dimmesdale are guilty of--that his approach to his investigation of Hester’s crime and his tormenting of her as yet un-confessed co-conspirator is to be a cold, rational, scientific process devoid of the emotions and empathy that Hawthorne argues are integral to keeping religious institutions interested in serving their community rather than asserting tyrannical rule over them. But honestly, that is just a guess. Anyone else want to take a stab?
That’s interesting! I hadn’t considered that by not announcing himself he may be saving her from death.
But she has an “A” on her breast, so don’t they say she is guilty of adultery? They say they had mercy on her in light of her circumstances, and didn’t impose the death penalty.
I like what you say about him separating himself from emotions. The book notes in Chapter 9 (from Chillingworth’s perspective) that with Hester warmth left his life. I wonder if that was what he was thinking in choosing his name?
I like your thought that Hester had been a source of warmth in Roger’s life and that the name Chillingworth derives from her loss, as if he’s already cast her off in his heart and mind.
As to why they would the Puritan elders would still have Hester bear an “A” even if they can’t prove her guilty of adultery, perhaps it is because the weight of suspicion is deemed heavy enough for such a punishment because of its impermanence. If her husband does not appear after whatever length of time they deem appropriate, he can indeed be assumed dead (of illness on the voyage, etc.) and Hester can be re-integrated into the community? Or maybe Hawthorne is illustrating the arbitrary / hypocritical nature of a judiciary that would deem her guilty enough for her and her child to bear the ostracism of a crime they couldn’t prove to the maximum degree that they would be willing to enforce the penalty they themselves originally authorized under the law? It is an excellent question....
Is there any significance in the way Hester is most often referred to as “Hester Prynne” and much less often as just “Hester”?
Also, the way the author/narrator went out of his way to point out how very different Pearl is, and how she has a demonic sort of aspect to her personality, and how beautiful she is, and so on, really made me think of Cathy and her introduction in East of Eden. I do like that the author is also pointing out Pearl’s other side, of course, and thus I have hope (never having read this book before) that Pearl will not share Cathy’s other tendencies.
At the risk of my own reputation, but in solidarity with Hester and respect for this community, I feel this is the appropriate time to admit that Easy A is one of my favorite movies, albeit a guilty pleasure. May I now be branded with whatever symbol of shame anyone deem necessary.
Why does Roger Chillingworth give himself the name “Chillingworth”?
Roger and Hester were married, and therefore, I assume, would have had the same last name (“Prynne”). P. 134 says “ … old Roger Chillingworth, as he was hereafter to be named,” implying that this is not his original name.
Chillingworth is obviously a really symbolic name, but the fact that he gave it to himself seems to say something about how he sees himself.
Under Puritan rule, if Hester’s husband has definitely survived the journey from England and appears alive and well under his own name, she is guilty not of the lesser crime of fornication, but of adultery which is punishable by death. He appears under an alias because he wants her kept alive so he can find out what happened (was Hester raped or seduced? By whom? etc.)
As to why the name “Chillingworth,” my guess is that it is because he has divorced himself of the human passions Hester and Dimmesdale are guilty of--that his approach to his investigation of Hester’s crime and his tormenting of her as yet un-confessed co-conspirator is to be a cold, rational, scientific process devoid of the emotions and empathy that Hawthorne argues are integral to keeping religious institutions interested in serving their community rather than asserting tyrannical rule over them. But honestly, that is just a guess. Anyone else want to take a stab?
That’s interesting! I hadn’t considered that by not announcing himself he may be saving her from death.
But she has an “A” on her breast, so don’t they say she is guilty of adultery? They say they had mercy on her in light of her circumstances, and didn’t impose the death penalty.
I like what you say about him separating himself from emotions. The book notes in Chapter 9 (from Chillingworth’s perspective) that with Hester warmth left his life. I wonder if that was what he was thinking in choosing his name?
I like your thought that Hester had been a source of warmth in Roger’s life and that the name Chillingworth derives from her loss, as if he’s already cast her off in his heart and mind.
As to why they would the Puritan elders would still have Hester bear an “A” even if they can’t prove her guilty of adultery, perhaps it is because the weight of suspicion is deemed heavy enough for such a punishment because of its impermanence. If her husband does not appear after whatever length of time they deem appropriate, he can indeed be assumed dead (of illness on the voyage, etc.) and Hester can be re-integrated into the community? Or maybe Hawthorne is illustrating the arbitrary / hypocritical nature of a judiciary that would deem her guilty enough for her and her child to bear the ostracism of a crime they couldn’t prove to the maximum degree that they would be willing to enforce the penalty they themselves originally authorized under the law? It is an excellent question....