IX. The Leech Practice Quiz — The Scarlet Letter
by Nathaniel Hawthorne — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: IX. The Leech
What alias does Hester's husband adopt in Boston?
He takes the name Roger Chillingworth, resolving that his true identity should never be spoken again.
Why is Chillingworth welcomed as a physician in Boston?
The town has almost no competent medical professionals—only an aged deacon-apothecary and a barber-surgeon—so Chillingworth's learning makes him a prized addition.
Where did Chillingworth gain knowledge of herbal remedies?
During his captivity among Native Americans, he learned the medicinal properties of native herbs and roots.
What physical symptoms indicate Dimmesdale's declining health?
He grows pale and emaciated, his voice becomes tremulous, and he habitually presses his hand over his heart with signs of pain.
What is the double meaning of the chapter title "The Leech"?
"Leech" was an archaic term for physician, but it also refers to a parasitic bloodsucking creature—reflecting Chillingworth's dual role as healer and predator.
How does Dimmesdale initially respond to the suggestion that he accept medical help?
He gently refuses, saying "I need no medicine" and expressing willingness to let his suffering end in death rather than submit to treatment.
Who pressures Dimmesdale into accepting Chillingworth's care?
The elder ministers of Boston and the deacons of his church confront him about the sin of rejecting Providence's aid.
What living arrangement does Chillingworth engineer with Dimmesdale?
At Chillingworth's suggestion, the two men move into the same house—a widow's dwelling near King's Chapel—so the physician can monitor the minister constantly.
What biblical scene is depicted on the tapestry in Dimmesdale's room?
The tapestry shows the story of David and Bathsheba with Nathan the Prophet, paralleling the novel's themes of adultery and prophetic judgment.
Why is the David and Bathsheba tapestry symbolically significant?
King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and tried to hide it, directly paralleling Dimmesdale's secret sin with Hester. Nathan exposed David just as Chillingworth seeks to expose Dimmesdale.
What does Hawthorne compare Chillingworth's investigation of Dimmesdale to?
He compares it to "a treasure-seeker in a dark cavern," probing and delving among the minister's principles and recollections.
What intellectual bond forms between Chillingworth and Dimmesdale?
Dimmesdale is fascinated by Chillingworth's wide-ranging, liberal intellect, which offers ideas he would never encounter among his own clergy—though he finds such openness unsettling.
How does the townspeople's view of Chillingworth change over time?
They shift from seeing him as a providential gift sent to heal Dimmesdale to suspecting he is Satan's emissary sent to torment the minister's soul.
What physical change do people notice in Chillingworth's appearance?
His formerly calm, scholarly expression becomes "ugly and evil," growing more sinister the longer he lives with Dimmesdale.
What rumor connects Chillingworth to the occult?
An old Londoner claims to have seen him in company with Dr. Forman, a conjurer implicated in the Sir Thomas Overbury murder case.
What does Hawthorne say about the fire in Chillingworth's laboratory?
According to popular belief, the fire "had been brought from the lower regions, and was fed with infernal fuel," making his face grow "sooty with the smoke.".
What is the central theme explored in Chapter 9?
The contrast between hidden sin and public shame: Dimmesdale's concealed guilt produces physical decay, while Hester's visible punishment offers a degree of stability.
What does Dimmesdale's hand-over-heart gesture symbolize?
It mirrors Hester's scarlet letter, which she wears over her heart, suggesting that Dimmesdale bears an invisible mark of guilt in the same place.
How does Hawthorne use dramatic irony in Chapter 9?
The townspeople believe Providence sent Chillingworth to save Dimmesdale, while the reader knows he is actually the minister's secret tormentor and Hester's vengeful husband.
What does Chillingworth believe is essential before he can treat Dimmesdale?
He deems it essential to "know the man" completely—his character, principles, and secrets—before attempting to heal him.
What does the chapter's final line reveal about Dimmesdale's inner state?
It states that judging from "the gloom and terror" in the minister's eyes, "the battle was a sore one, and the victory anything but secure," suggesting he is losing his spiritual struggle.
Why does Dimmesdale reject the suggestion that he marry?
He rejects all suggestions of marriage "as if priestly celibacy were one of his articles of church-discipline," maintaining his isolation despite the community's urging.