What Are The Three Scaffold Scenes In The Scarlet Letter
The three scaffold scenes in The Scarlet Letter, a novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne represent the three main points of the scarlet letter. They each contain a great deal of significance to the characters involved, especially Dimmesdale. The three scaffold scenes are significant to Dimmesdale in different ways because each successive scene is an improvement in his personality. The first scaffold scene is when Hester Prynne is accused of committing adultery and Dimmesdale, her lover, lets her stand alone for the crime they both committed. Dimmesdale is present throughout the whole scene but he is very hesitant to admit that he is the secret lover, although Mr. Wilson is pestering him to find out who it is. He doesn’t admit because he is afraid if he does confess it will ruin his reputation as a person and as a minister. “The young pastor’s voice was tremendously sweet, rich, deep, and broken. The feeling that it so evidently manifested, rather than the direct purport of the words, caused it to
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vibrate within all hearts and brought listeners into one accord of sympathy” (65). From this, we learn that Dimmesdale didn’t want to confront Hester but he felt guilty and broken inside for not confessing his sins to the public. Dimmesdale is even so bold as to ask Hester before the whole town to denounce her lover and bring him forward so that he can stand beside her and receive his punishment. “‘She will not speak!’ murmured Dimmesdale, who, leaning over the balcony, with his hand upon his heart, had awaited the result of his appeal. He now drew back, with long respiration” (66). This tells the reader that Dimmesdale is relieved Hester did not reveal him because he is not ready to face the punishment he would receive. The first scaffold scene represents committing a sin and shows Dimmesdale’s reluctance to admit his own guilt by himself. The second scaffold scene is when Dimmesdale sits upon the scaffold during the night.
He thinks of the sin that he has committed by not standing on the scaffold seven years ago when Hester was accused. “Mr. Dimmesdale was overcome with a great horror of mind, as if the universe were gazing at a scarlet token on his naked breast, right over his heart” (144). The thoughts are so overbearing that he screams, trying to relieve himself from his thoughts and the weight of the guilt he is carrying. Dimmesdale then hopes for the town to find him on the scaffold confessing his sins but no one awakes to see him. “‘It is done!’ muttered the minister, covering his face with his hands. ‘The whole town will awake, and hurry forth, and find me here!’” (145). From this, it can be seen that he has not given up his life to accept his punishment but it is advancement from the first scene when he showed no outward sign of his remorse is shown. The second scaffold scene represents public
sin. The third and final scaffold scene is when Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold, calling for Hester and Pearl to join him. Hester tries to stop Dimmesdale from revealing the truth fearing that the three of them will come face to face with death. “‘Yea; so we may both die, and little Pearl die with us!’ … ‘So let me make haste to take my shame upon me!’” (249). In response, Dimmesdale protests and says he wants to repent before he dies. Dimmesdale then reveals his sin, confessing that he is the father of Hester’s child and the lover of Hester. “But he fought back the bodily weakness—and, still more, the faintness of heart—that was striving for the mastery with him. He threw off all assistance, and stepped passionately forward a pace before the woman and the child” (250). Dimmesdale fought back his illness to tell and show the townspeople the crime he has committed before dying after his speech. The final scaffold scene represents revealing sin and repenting sin. The three scaffold scenes clarify Dimmesdale's progression towards complete atonement for his sin of adultery committed with his lover, Hester Prynne. In the first scaffold scene, Dimmesdale acts as Hester's deceitful accuser. In the second scaffold scene, he exhibits agony and guilt to relieve his transgressions. Finally, in the third scaffold scene, Dimmesdale is humbly repentant, liberating not only himself of torment, but also Hester and Pearl of their heavy burdens.
vibrate within all hearts and brought listeners into one accord of sympathy” (65). From this, we learn that Dimmesdale didn’t want to confront Hester but he felt guilty and broken inside for not confessing his sins to the public. Dimmesdale is even so bold as to ask Hester before the whole town to denounce her lover and bring him forward so that he can stand beside her and receive his punishment. “‘She will not speak!’ murmured Dimmesdale, who, leaning over the balcony, with his hand upon his heart, had awaited the result of his appeal. He now drew back, with long respiration” (66). This tells the reader that Dimmesdale is relieved Hester did not reveal him because he is not ready to face the punishment he would receive. The first scaffold scene represents committing a sin and shows Dimmesdale’s reluctance to admit his own guilt by himself. The second scaffold scene is when Dimmesdale sits upon the scaffold during the night.
He thinks of the sin that he has committed by not standing on the scaffold seven years ago when Hester was accused. “Mr. Dimmesdale was overcome with a great horror of mind, as if the universe were gazing at a scarlet token on his naked breast, right over his heart” (144). The thoughts are so overbearing that he screams, trying to relieve himself from his thoughts and the weight of the guilt he is carrying. Dimmesdale then hopes for the town to find him on the scaffold confessing his sins but no one awakes to see him. “‘It is done!’ muttered the minister, covering his face with his hands. ‘The whole town will awake, and hurry forth, and find me here!’” (145). From this, it can be seen that he has not given up his life to accept his punishment but it is advancement from the first scene when he showed no outward sign of his remorse is shown. The second scaffold scene represents public
sin. The third and final scaffold scene is when Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold, calling for Hester and Pearl to join him. Hester tries to stop Dimmesdale from revealing the truth fearing that the three of them will come face to face with death. “‘Yea; so we may both die, and little Pearl die with us!’ … ‘So let me make haste to take my shame upon me!’” (249). In response, Dimmesdale protests and says he wants to repent before he dies. Dimmesdale then reveals his sin, confessing that he is the father of Hester’s child and the lover of Hester. “But he fought back the bodily weakness—and, still more, the faintness of heart—that was striving for the mastery with him. He threw off all assistance, and stepped passionately forward a pace before the woman and the child” (250). Dimmesdale fought back his illness to tell and show the townspeople the crime he has committed before dying after his speech. The final scaffold scene represents revealing sin and repenting sin. The three scaffold scenes clarify Dimmesdale's progression towards complete atonement for his sin of adultery committed with his lover, Hester Prynne. In the first scaffold scene, Dimmesdale acts as Hester's deceitful accuser. In the second scaffold scene, he exhibits agony and guilt to relieve his transgressions. Finally, in the third scaffold scene, Dimmesdale is humbly repentant, liberating not only himself of torment, but also Hester and Pearl of their heavy burdens.