er Dimmesdale. He shows the last bit of humanity he has left when he leaves Pearl a handsome inheritance in his
             will. Chillingworth is depicted as the antagonist in this novel due to his infliction of guilt. Chillingworth feels as if he has been designated to deal out God's punishments for the sins of earth. He feels less guilt than most characters in the book, but he is a major cause of the misery in the lives of the other characters.
             Hester Prynne is a Puritan woman who displays liberal beliefs in a fiercely conservative environment. Hester objects to many of the Puritan beliefs that are held so dear to her fellow citizens of Salem. As the novel opens, Hester has become pregnant during her passionate act of adultery. She is forced to wear a scarlet "A" on her chest as a constant reminder of her sin. Her illegitimate daughter, Pearl, also reminds her of the crime she has committed. Hester shows us that she is ashamed of herself and her action when she says, "'I have thought of death,' said she- 'have wished for it-would have even prayed for it, were it fit that such as I should pray for anything'" (Hawthorne 67). Ashamed though she may be, Hester must proceed through her everyday life without succumbing to the townspeople. Lewis
             ...