The Scaffold in Nathaniel Hawthrone´s The Scarlet Letter

The symbol of the scaffold evolves in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet letter is build around the symbolic scaffold. The main characters transform the scaffold from the exposition to resolution. Next the traits of the scaffold itself deteriorate throughout the novel. Finally, the scaffold is applied symbolically throughout Hawthorne’s novel. The scaffold transforms throughout the book because they are there for different reasons. In the beginning Hester Prynne is there to be punished for her sin. Her sin was that she commits adultery and cheats on her husband. She cheats on Chillingworth with Dimmesdale. She ends up getting pregnant and she has a baby girl and she names her Pearl. Because she is beautiful and because she costs a great price. She must stand on the scaffold in front of the town to reveal her sin. Its to humiliate her for what she has done. The second scene is when Hester, Pearl and Dimmesdale are all standing together and being together. It’s the first time that Dimmesdale has claimed them in public. Before this Pearl felt like he wouldn’t claim and that he was ashamed to have anything to do with her. So when they all stand up there together she feels like it’s the right way. Dimmesdale also feels like its right thing to do. She shows her approval to him by giving him a kiss. The thir d is when Chillingworth gets up on the scaffold and shows his burning sin under his clothes and it is to helps him becauseShow MoreRelatedThe Scaffold Scenes in Nathaniel Hawthrone ´s The Scarlet Letter791 Words   |  3 Pages Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is known as a psychological novel regarding humanity, sin, guilt, and a fair amount of other ambiguous concepts. One of those is the significance of the three scaffold scenes throughout the work. The scaffold scenes signify religious and moral ideas, such as sinfulness, the spiritual figures the characters each portray, and the character development achieved by public and private absolution. The first scaffold scene begins the novel. In chapters two throughRead MoreSymbolism Is The Use Of Symbols To Signify Important Meaning1305 Words   |  6 Pagesthe continual hold of the past on the present. Hawthorne focused on his Calvinist lineage and America s Calvinist ideological past, as well, in hopes of coming to terms and making sense of it. Hawthorne s writing is full of symbolic characters, settings, and objects. Hawthorne s characters and settings are not always actually important for what they are, but for what they exemplify. Hawthorne s audience finds the meanings of his symbols as they grow among his characters efforts to tell the audience