The Scaffold in The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The sustain in The Scarlet Letter           The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is characterized by collar major events that occur on the town sustain.  What appropriates place on this programme will determine the path which the leash main characters, Hester Prynne, Mr. Dimmsdale, and their daughter drib will follow.  The three scenes mark the beginning, middle, and end of their ignominy.             The scaffold is a chopine where criminals are punished before all the townspeople.  In this case, the criminal is Hester Prynne and the work party has gathered to witness her shame.  The first scene at the ominous political platform is Hesters first public appearance with the child and the ruby letter. Hesters husband, Roger Prynne (Chillingworth) makes a abrupt reappearance and is among the onlookers.  The Reverend Mr. Dimmsdale is also there but he does non stand with Hester on the scaffold, instead he stands on the balcony with those who pass assessment on her.             During this time, Reverend Mr. Wilson demands that Hester give the list of her lover. He gives her the chance to take the scarlet letter off her breast if she were to speak out his name(64).  Had she relented and revealed his name she might never have had to endure the humiliation of the scarlet letter.  But she refused, and so her path was set.             The second time at the scaffold was a turning point for Hester. She, Pearl, and Dimmsdale are unneurotic for the first time, ...the three formed an electric chain as if they were always meant to be together if something, or someone, had not gotten in their way (140).  But it is here that Hester at long last realizes the damage which hiding Chillingworths identity has caused Dimmsdale.  Chillingworth was a secret enemy...continu ally at his side, chthonian the semblance of a friend and helper... when in truth he was tormenting Dimmsdale at every opportunity (153). When Hester sees the miserable state that he is in, weak and on the verge of lunacy, it leads her to later seek him out in the timbre to confess the true identity of Chillingworth, which in turn leads to their plan to set out Salem.             Their plans were never carried through because of another visit to