The Scarlet Letter, Chapter 14 summary

What happens

1. Hester sends Pearl to play beside the water while she approaches Roger Chillingworth.
2. Chillingworth reports discussion of removing Hester’s scarlet letter, but she says freedom from it must depend on deserving it.
3. Hester sees how revenge changes Chillingworth and accuses herself of betraying the minister by keeping his secret.
4. Chillingworth claims to preserve the minister’s life while admitting that his constant presence deliberately deepens the man’s suffering.
5. Hester declares her intention to reveal their former relationship and urges Chillingworth to recover his humanity through forgiveness.
6. Chillingworth denies having power to forgive, invokes fate, and returns to gathering herbs.

In this chapter

What to notice

Chillingworth openly recognizes what revenge makes of him. His self-knowledge does not lead him to accept Hester’s appeal for forgiveness.

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