The excerpt from Chapter 4 of "The Scarlet Letter" develops the character trait of Roger Chillingworth's manipulative and vengeful nature.
Chillingworth's demand for Hester to keep his identity a secret, coupled with the ominous warning "Shouldst thou fail me in this, beware!" illustrates his manipulative and vengeful demeanor.
He seeks to control Hester's actions through fear and intimidation, indicating his desire for retribution against the man who fathered Hester's child.
This excerpt exemplifies Chillingworth's complex and morally ambiguous character, setting the stage for his role as a malevolent force in the novel
Complete question:
Read the excerpt spoken by the man who takes the name of Roger Chillingworth from Chapter 4 of The Scarlet Letter." Let, therefore, thy husband be to the world as one already dead, and of whom no tidings shall ever come. Recognize me not, by word, by sign, by look. Breathe not the secret above all, to the man thou wettest of. Shouldst thou fail me in this, beware!" Which character trait of Roger Chillingworth does Hawthorne develop in the excerpt?