Scarlet Letter Scaffold

this is missing the rest of the third scaffold scene and a conclusion, it's also unedited for the most part, sorry, i don't have it here...

this paper received the grade of an 86, mainly because of too much plot.

In the novel, "The Scarlet Letter," Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the three scenes at the scaffolding as structure for the novel and to further the plot and understanding of the characters, themes, and symbols.

The first scaffold scene, which is also the first main scene in the novel, gives us a clearer introduction to Hester Prynne who is accompanied by her newborn, Pearl. It is revealed that she has committed adultery and therefore must wear a scarlet letter, 'A,' for the rest of her life. Hester and Pearl are stuck on the scaffold for this entire scene. She is being spared her life because her husband has yet to return home. Throughout her time on the scaffold she is pummeled with dirty remarks from the people in her town; even the children mock her. This foreshadows the way she will be treated because of her sin. A few women wish vicious things such as death or branding upon Hester, but one woman states that she will always feel the pain deep inside of her heart no matter what consequences she has to endure. Hester proves to be a strong character during all of this torture because when she feels like exploding with anguish, she just smiles a bitter, disdainful smile. Hester tries to remove herself from the situation and reminisces about her life. She often thinks about a misshapen scholar, the man she has married and came to America with. She then sees him in the crowd dressed half in Native garb and half European. The two meet eyes and he gestures for her to keep his presence a secret. The town governor and reverends are also present at this gathering. Reverend Dimmsdale is designated to get Hester to reveal the name of her fellow sinner but when she refuses to do so, he backs off. The reader is left wondering who the father of Hester's baby is. All of the main characters of the novel are present in this scene of the novel, as they are in every scaffold scene.

The second scaffold scene takes place years later, during the middle of the novel. By now, Hester's husband, Roger Chillingworth, suspects Reverend Dimmsdale of being the father of Hester's baby. He has claimed the role of the town doctor and since Dimmsdale hasn't been acting normal, Chillingworth has offered to live with him. Chillingworth tortures Dimmsdale mentally while Dimmsdale tortures himself by starving himself, whipping himself, and staying up through the nights meditating about his own sin. He also had been contemplating holding a vigil on the scaffold. Dimmsdale just cannot hold in his anguish any longer and has to go onto the scaffold. One night he finally does go on the scaffold for a vigil. The pain in his chest is so intense that it causes him to scream out loud. At that time he became almost delirious and when he saw Reverend Wilson leaving the deathbed of John Winthrop, he yells to him, but the reverend did not respond. Since he was so close to getting spotted on the scaffold, a place of humility, he imagined what would happen if he actually did get caught. Dimmsdale laughed and in response heard the laughter of Pearl. Hester and Pearl had been visiting the deathbed of John Winthrop as well. Hester and Pearl both join Dimmsdale on the scaffold.