# Governor Bellingham — The Scarlet Letter character guide

> Governor Bellingham in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Bellingham, Old Governor Bellingham

**First appearance:** 0004-ii-the-marketplace

## Who they are

A stern colonial governor whose rigid Puritan authority and worldly comforts sit uneasily together as he weighs the fate of Hester and her child.

## Relationships

### [Hester Prynne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/hester_prynne)

_social_

Bellingham, as a colonial authority, interacts with Hester primarily in official, judgmental contexts.

### [Pearl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/pearl)

_social_

Bellingham considers taking Pearl away from Hester, viewing her as an ill-raised child.

### [Satan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/satan)

_psychological_

Bellingham, as a Puritan leader, sees Satan as a constant threat to the colony's piety.

### [John Wilson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/john_wilson)

_professional_

Bellingham and Wilson are allies in governing the colony's religious and civil affairs.

### [Roger Chillingworth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/roger_chillingworth)

_social_

Bellingham respects Chillingworth as a learned physician and fellow authority figure.

### [Pearl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/pearl)

_social_

Bellingham considers taking Pearl away from Hester, viewing her as an ill-raised child.

### [Satan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/satan)

_psychological_

Bellingham, as a Puritan leader, sees Satan as a constant threat to the colony's piety.

### [Hester Prynne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/hester_prynne)

_social_

Bellingham, as a colonial authority, interacts with Hester primarily in official, judgmental contexts.

### [Hester Prynne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/hester_prynne)

_social_

Bellingham, as a colonial authority, interacts with Hester primarily in official, judgmental contexts.

### [Roger Chillingworth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/roger_chillingworth)

_social_

Bellingham respects Chillingworth as a learned physician and fellow authority figure.

### [John Wilson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/john_wilson)

_professional_

Bellingham and Wilson are allies in governing the colony's religious and civil affairs.

### [John Wilson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/john_wilson)

_professional_

Bellingham and Wilson are allies in governing the colony's religious and civil affairs.

## In the story

### [II: The Marketplace](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/ii-the-marketplace)

Present in the balcony of the meetinghouse, observing Hester's punishment.

### [The Recognition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/iii-the-recognition)

Present on the balcony, supports the call for Hester to confess.

### [The Governor's Hall](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/vii-the-governor-s-hall)

The colonial magistrate whose mansion Hester visits; he is reportedly among those seeking to take Pearl from Hester.

### [VIII: The Elf-Child and the Minister](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/viii-the-elf-child-and-the-minister)

Leads the inquiry into Hester's fitness as a mother, initially determined to take Pearl away.

### [The Minister's Vigil](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/xii-the-minister-s-vigil)

Appears at his window with a lamp after Dimmesdale's shriek, but does not discover him.

### [XXII: The Procession](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/xxii-the-procession)

Mentioned among the colonial magistrates in the procession, representing the ponderous sobriety of the era's leaders.

### [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/chapters/xxiv-conclusion)

Serves as executor of Chillingworth's will.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters/governor_bellingham
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_scarlet_letter_se/characters