Governor Richard Bellingham

Richard Bellingham is a historical figure who served as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony on multiple occasions, from 1641 to 1642, 1654 to 1655, and 1665 to 1672. His role in the book is minimal – he appears in the beginning with the group of men who mete out Hester’s punishment and also appears when Hester needs to find out whether the town leadership plans to take Pearl away from her. Because he is a real person in history, however, his appearance reaffirms the book’s setting in the mid-17th century in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.