Analysis Of The Sccaffold Scenes In The Scarlet Letter

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When the romantic novel begins, Dimmesdale, a local minister, stands with one hand over his heart in shame. As he watches Hester Prynne, former lover, suffer on the scaffold, he suffers himself. The scaffold is a raised platform, placed in the center of the town, for a public humiliation. Hester, a known perpetrator for adultery, has the punishment of jail time, scaffold humiliation, and the wearing of the “A.” Although these seem like terrible punishments for what seems like a not so terrible crime, these are far better than the original punishment for this crime of adultery, death. Despite her situation, Hester stands proud with her daughter in her arms. Some might argue that “this beautiful woman, so picturesque in her attire and mien…[is] an object to remind [others] of the Divine Maternity” (Hawthorne 60). Hawthorne reveals numerous emotions throughout the three scaffold scenes to invite the reader to look at the text from different perspectives (Swisher). As the novel progresses, each scaffold scene …show more content…

Hester Prynne, stands on the scaffold with her daughter, of three months, Pearl as the townspeople of Boston pass with disgusted looks. The scene is set during the day. Hester, perpetrator of adultery, stands tall with a “fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery, and fantastic flourishes of gold threads on her breast of her dress” in the shape of an “A” (Hawthorne 57). Although Hester stands tall on the scaffold, she is truly embarrassed. The “A,” standing for adultery, is one of Hester’s punishments for committing the crime. The initial intention of the “A” is to humilite Hester, instead her natural beauty is emphasized, and shines forth. Hester and Pearl stand on the scaffold together while they endure public humiliation. Seeing as she is only three months, Pearl, the obvious and only evidence for Hester's affair, does not understand that the journey ahead of her is only the

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