Did Hester ever love her husband?

Did Hester ever love her husband?

• A. Yes, she loved him deeply
• B. No, she felt no love
• C. She loved him briefly
• D. She feigned love

Answer: (B)

The question tests understanding of Hester Prynne’s emotional stance toward her husband, Roger Chillingworth, as Hawthorne depicts their marriage. The narrative presents their union as loveless and arranged, with Chillingworth driven by manipulation and vengeance rather than affection. Hester endures the public shame with quiet strength and remains emotionally distant from him, focused instead on Pearl and the moral consequences of her actions. There’s no evidence in the text that she feels romantic love for Chillingworth, nor any portrayal of her pretending to love him. The best reading is that she does not love him.

The question tests understanding of Hester Prynne’s emotional stance toward her husband, Roger Chillingworth, as Hawthorne depicts their marriage. The narrative presents their union as loveless and arranged, with Chillingworth driven by manipulation and vengeance rather than affection. Hester endures the public shame with quiet strength and remains emotionally distant from him, focused instead on Pearl and the moral consequences of her actions. There’s no evidence in the text that she feels romantic love for Chillingworth, nor any portrayal of her pretending to love him. The best reading is that she does not love him.