-~- DIALECTICAL JOURNAL #17 -~-

"I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe, but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them..."

"...Drink it! It may be less soothing than a sinless conscience. That I cannot give thee. But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of the tempestuous sea." ((Chapter 4/PAGE 67))

What I found interesting here is the connection to the Greek culture as well as the underworld. The River Lethe and the Nepenthe plant were both things that the Greek said could be absorbed, drunk to forget. The forgetfulness is what Hester wants/needs. She is making a scene in her holding cell and she needs to calm down, however Chillingworth does not know true forgetfulness, for the pain of his wife's treason weights heavily on his mind. He administers a drink (or potion!) and insists she drinks, stating that he cannot guarantee her conscience to forget her sin, yet this is what he wants for Hester, so she can suffer for her disastrous deed. 

The mentioning of the River Lethe brings up some dark imagery. Referring to the Greek Underworld suggests that Chillingworth is much darker than previously imagined. A place roughly equivalent to the Christian Hell is mentioned which makes his moniker as the 'Black Man' all the more eery. 

Given the other names of the Rivers in the Underworld, each of the five represents something deeper about the characters and society of the book by bringing up a powerful emotion easily associated with either of the aforementioned elements.

The River Styx = The river of hate. Hate fuels Chillingworth's ambition for suffering. Overall, he hates life! He finds no joy in it other than the insatiable quest for infinite knowledge and Hester who had forsaken him. The hate is also felt by the Puritan followers for Hester, whom they feel as an abomination to the land who shall be shunned and publicly shamed.


The River Cocytus = The River of Lamentation/Grief. Chillingworth laments his loss of Hester, but takes his emotion and uses it as a tool, a weapon, against Arthur and his wife. Arthur laments the fact he is too weak to tell anyone about what he had done with Hester. The situation the characters are in is something that they will grieve over 'til they confess, die, or fulfill their ultimate revenge. 


The River Acheron = The River of Pain. Pain seems to be the most apparent emotion out of all, next to hate. Despite all of the emotions widespread throughout the entire story, this one is, of course, painful and shows a great deal of impact on the actions of the characters. The pain in Arthur reflecting his guilt, the pain of Hester when she is going mad in the jail, the pain of Pearl being ridiculed by the local children. It's everywhere! Even better, Chillingworth feeds off of pain and wants Hester and Arthur to feel it as much as a soul is capable of enduring.


The River Phlegethon = The River of Fire. Granted, fire is not an emotion, however it burns like the passion felt by Chillingworth for Hester. Burns like Arthur's heart whenever Pearl or Hester bring forth his guilt. Burns red congruent with the crimson mark upon Hester's chest, the infinite guilt that is burned/branded onto her.


The last thing to mention, not as important, is the last bit of lines where he says, "like oil thrown on the waves of the tempestuous sea." which is an obvious reference to infamous Greek fire! :O