English & Literature

Scarlet Letter: In the second scaffold description Hawthorne has Chillingworth totally ignore the presence of Hester and Pearl. Inexplicable to me. How is this seeming omission explained?

I speculated that the entire event was an hallucination on Dimmesdale's part but the opening line of the next chapter affirms the reality of their presence.

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Last updated by Jill W
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Are you referring to the book or the movie? Note, Chillingworth does not wish to have his association (marriage) to Hester exposed.

Source(s)

The Scarlet Letter