The Scarlet Letter Chapter 4: The Interview

The last chapter left us with a lot of drama. Hester refused to name her lover, and we discovered that the mysterious stranger in the crowd was her husband.

Now, in Chapter 4, "The Interview," Hester and her husband meet face-to-face in the prison. It's a quiet but incredibly tense chapter where secrets are kept and new promises are made.

Here's a simple breakdown of what happens.

1. A Doctor Is Called

Back in her prison cell, Hester is a mess. After the stress of the public shaming, she is in a state of nervous excitement, and her baby is also crying in pain.

Worried, the jailer decides to call for a doctor. The doctor who arrives is none other than the mysterious stranger from the crowd—Hester's husband. He introduces himself to the jailer as Roger Chillingworth, a physician.

I once completely forgot about a big piece of homework until the night before it was due. Instead of just getting started, I panicked. I felt so flustered and out of control that I had to take a few minutes just to calm down before I could even think about the work. That's a tiny version of what Hester must have been feeling.

2. A Tense Reunion

At first, Hester is afraid that Roger is there to hurt her or the baby, suspecting he might try to poison them as revenge.

But he calms her fears, gently giving the baby some medicine that soothes her almost instantly. Then, he offers Hester a cup of medicine for herself. She hesitates, but he assures her he wants her to live so he can have his revenge on the man who wronged them.

Roger choosing a new name is significant. It's unlikely anyone in this new settlement would know his real name, but there's always a chance. By creating a new name, he's also creating a new personality to match his secret mission: to get revenge on the man who fathered a child with his wife.

3. A Painfully Honest Talk

Once she takes the medicine, the "interview" begins. This isn't a friendly chat; it's a cold, hard conversation about their past and future.

Roger admits he was wrong to marry her. He was an old, scholarly man, while she was a young, passionate woman. He says he understands how she could have been unfaithful and takes his share of the blame.

Having to face a hard truth with someone can be one of the most difficult things to do. It's often easier to avoid the conversation. But in most cases, getting everything out in the open, no matter how painful, is the only way to truly move forward. This conversation between Hester and Roger, as cold as it is, is them laying all the cards on the table.

4. A Vow of Vengeance

While Roger forgives Hester, he makes it very clear that he will not forgive the man she had an affair with.

He tells her he has no interest in public revenge or in revealing the man's name to the town leaders. Instead, he vows to find the man himself and discover his secret. He says he will "read it on his heart."

There's an old saying: "Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves." One is for your enemy, and the other is for yourself. Roger's cold, calculated desire for revenge isn't about getting justice; it's about inflicting pain. This chilling moment sets up a dark path for his character, one that will likely consume him.

5. Hester's Heavy Promise

Roger has one demand for Hester: she must promise to keep his true identity a secret and never let anyone know he is her husband.

Hester agrees. She asks him if he will torment the man's soul, comparing him to the devil. He gives a mysterious smile, and the chapter ends, leaving Hester with this terrible secret.

Keeping a secret that big can be a huge weight. Think about spies in real life who have to maintain a cover identity for years. They can never be their true selves and live in constant fear of being discovered. The stress of carrying that secret affects every part of their lives, just as this promise will affect Hester's.

6. Key Quotes from The Interview

Here are two key quotes that reveal the complex feelings and dark promises made in this chapter.

Quote 1: Roger Admits His Mistake

In a moment of surprising honesty, Roger explains why he feels partly responsible for what happened.

Modern language: ""We have wronged each other," he answered. "Mine was the first wrong when I led your budding youth into a false and unnatural relationship. I have thought long and hard about this. I have no intention to seek vengeance on you, Hester. The scales are balanced between us. But, the man who did this to you... he has wronged us both. Who is he?""

Original wording: "“We have wronged each other,” answered he. “Mine was the first wrong, when I betrayed thy budding youth into a false and unnatural relation with my decay. Therefore, as a man who has not thought and philosophised in vain, I seek no vengeance, plot no evil against thee. Between thee and me, the scale hangs fairly balanced. But, Hester, the man lives who has wronged us both! Who is he?”" (Chapter 4)

Quote 2: A Secret Vengeance

Roger explains that he doesn't want public punishment for Hester's lover. He wants something far more personal.

Modern language: "You may hide your secret from the prying crowd. You may conceal it from the ministers and magistrates, as you did today when they tried to get a name. But I come to this inquest with other senses. I will find this man as I have sought truth in books and gold in alchemy. There will be some connection that will lead me to him. I will see him tremble. Sooner or later, he will be mine!"

Original wording: "Think not that I shall interfere with Heaven’s own method of retribution, or, to my own loss, betray him to the gripe of human law. Neither do thou imagine that I shall contrive aught against his life; no, nor against his fame, if as I judge, he be a man of fair repute. Let him live! Let him hide himself in outward honour, if he may! Not the less he shall be mine!” (Chapter 4)

And with that, the stage is set. Hester is bound by a secret, and a quiet, vengeful man is now free to walk through Boston, searching for the man who is hiding a guilty heart.

← Read the guide to Chapter 3: The Recognition

Read the guide to Chapter 5: Hester at Her Needle →

Interested in an easier-to-understand version of The Scarlet Letter with helpful footnotes and explanations? Check out our modernized edition! It makes a classic story accessible and engaging for today's young readers.