e to face with her disguised husband when officials call in a doctor to calm her down. Going by the name Roger Chillingworth, Hester's husband offers her a cup of medicine. Without exchanging words, she knows who he is and almost refuses to drink. (His gaze makes her shudder and she thinks he might be poisoning her.) He assures her that he wants her to live so that he can have his revenge. In their honest conversation, he chastises himself for thinking that he, a deformed scholar, could keep a beautiful wife like Hester happy. He also makes her promise that she will not reveal to anyone his real identity.Chapter 5: Hester at Her NeedleChapter 6: Pearl Summary These chapters are mostly descriptive, giving the narrator a chance to analyze Hester and her daughter Pearl. In Chapter 5, Hester is released from prison and chooses to stay in the village. Hester, however, is alienated from everyone: town fathers, respected women, beggars, children, and even strangers. She serves as a sort of walking example of a fallen woman, a cautionary tale, for everyone to see. Hester is, however, uncommonly talented at the art of needlework. Even if most people in the town look down upon her, her embroideries are fit to be worn by the Governor because she always had a taste for the beautiful. (Her handiwork does not, however, adorn innocent brides.) Still, Hester is lonely and aware that she does not fit in at all. As shame burns inside of her, Hester looks for companionship or sympathy. Unfortunately, she does not find any. All that Hester has is her daughter Pearl, who is described in great detail in Chapter 6. Described as a beautiful flower growing out of guilty conditions, Pearl is so named because she was "purchased with all [Hester] had - her mother's only treasure!" Given birth during a turbulent time in Hester's life, Pearl has all of Hester's moodiness, passion, and defiance. Because, "in giving her existence a great law had been broken," i...
