The Bearer Of The Fruits Of Sin :: essays research papers

The world of Puritan New England, like the world of today, was filled with more evil influences. Many people were sufficient to withstand the temptations of this darker side of the religious world, but still some fell victim to the supposed ogres will. Such offences against God, in thought, word, deed, desire or neglect, are what we localize as sin (Schuler 14). In Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter, the reader is able to observe how one sin devastates three lives. Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth are all conscience-smitten of succumbing to temptation, rage, and desire, causing all to fit the definition of a sinner. Yet, Chillingworths iniquities reprimand him up above Hester and Dimmesdale on the level of diabolic acts.From the very s Chillingworth is introduced, he is deceitful towards the Puritan society. Chillingworth appears in the novel, seeming to know slide fastener of the scene at the scaffold. He asks of a townsperson who is this woman? and w herefore is she here to set up to public shame? (Hawhtorne 67). Yet, we find in the abutting chapter that he indeed knows who Hester is, because Chillingworth is the lawful husband of her. He decieves the people of capital of Massachusetts to avoid the humiliation his wife brought upon him. In this respect, Chillingworth sins against the eight commandment, You shall not make up false witness against your neighbour (Schuler 26). Now, one could state that Hester too sins against the ordinal commandment. She neer reveals the name of her daughters father. And it is stated that one moldiness always tell the truth. Yet, it also states that one must keep a secret whenever asked to do so, and not say anything to upon anothers reputation (Schuler 27). So Hester, in fact, did not sin. She never denies that Dimmesdale was the father of Pearl. She also could not admit the truth because she would break a promise to Dimmesdale and damage his reputation. Dimmesdale also may be accused of this crime, but likewise, he never outwardly states that he was not the father of this child, he merely chooses to sojourn silent on the matter. While Chillingworth is guilty of breaking the eighth commandment, he also breaks the fifth commandment You shall not kill (Schuler 24). It fact that Chillingworth did not directly kill anyone in the novel. Nevertheless, a serious act of anger or hatred is considered a sin under this commandment (Schuler 25).