"Better he had died at once!" said Hester. "Yea, woman, thou said truly!"cried
old Roger Chillingworth, letting the lurid fire if his heart blaze out before
her eyes. "Better had he died at once! Never did mortal suffer what this man has
suffered. And all, all, in the sight of his worst enemy! He has been conscious
of me..." (chapter 14)
Roger Chillingworth and Hester Prynn had an angry
dispute . Chillingworth is a physician, who supposed to be rational, not letting
the emotion take control. But now he is "letting the lurid fire if his heart
blaze out." He is emotionaly angry. As the dispute goes on, Chillingworth talks
carzily, revealing the sin of jealous and hatred. At the beginning of the story,
Chillingworth seems to be very calm (even though when he said he will revenge on
Hester), but then now his anger is exploding and he can't compress it
rationally.
I agree that this quote is dark romantic. It can also be related to another aspect of dark romanticism; for example, it shows sin. He is showing hatred and wishing death upon someone else, which is sinful.
ReplyDelete"Better he live a long life!" said Hester. "Yea woman, thou said truly!" cried old Roger Chillingworth, letting the love and care of his heart blaze out before her eyes. "Better he live a long life! Never did mortal suffer what this man has suffered. He deserves so much better!"
If I rewrite the quotation this way, all aspects of Dark Romanticism cease to exist.