Roger Chillingworth in the Scarlet Letter?

Question

I currently finished reading the scarlet letter and it is mentioned that Roger Rhillingworth is responsible for Dimmesdale's terrible condition and it is also mentioned that he tortures him internally. However, i am wondering how exactly did he do this? How did he emotionally torture Dimmesdale, I just finished it and have looked at a lot of websites and cliffnotes and it is not mentioned how Chillingworth tortures Dimmesdale emotionally. if somone can please explain to me and point this out i would greatly appreciate it

Answer 1

Chillingworth haunts Dimmesdale as best a living person can.  He senses Dimmesdale's guilt and makes sure that he is living in as depressed an atmosphere as possible so that his guilt is magnified and he has no chance of being happy.  He brings up religious subjects calculated to make Dimmesdale remember his sin and feel even worse.  I'm sorry I can't give more exact examples; my book is not accessble right now.  If you look at any scene with the two of them in it, you can find subtle ways that Chillingworth makes life miserable; he might stare at him and make Dimmesdale feel like he sees right through him, or he might be sure to absent long enough for Dimmesdale to beat himself when he is feeling particularly depressed.