The Scaffold Scenes in Nathaniel Hawthrone´s The Scarlet Letter

The book The Scarlet Letter is broken up into three main sections called the 'Scaffold Scenes' and each, although have the same title, show significant differences in characters and situations. Each of these scenes brings together the major characters and forces of the story and each scene, rivets our attention to the scarlet letter ‘A’ on Hester

Nathaniel Hawthorne's bold novel, The Scarlet Letter, revolves around sin and punishment.  The main characters of the novel sharply contrast each other in the way they react to the sin that has been committed

The scaffold scene in chapter two illustrates the hyperbolic reaction to Hester Prynne’s actions. The people of the colony put Hester up on a piece of scaffolding. They do this in order to publicly degrade her, however their attempt to shame Hester only makes her stronger. (41)- “In fact this scaffold constituted part of a penal machine.” Even though Hester is on what Hawthorne describes as part of a penal machine she is brave and head strong. She acts defiantly towards the gossiping townspeople.

In Nathaniel Hawthorne?s The Scarlet Letter, the Puritans constantly look down upon sinners like Hester Prynne, both literally and symbolically. The use of the three scaffold scenes throughout the course of the novel proved to be an effective method in proving this theory and showing how Puritan society differs from that of today?s.

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.

In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, the author uses three scaffold scenes to mark the development of Hester Prynne. The image of Hester atop the scaffolding is a metaphor for her forced solitude; for her banishment from society; and for the futility of her punishment. In the first scene, Hawthorne uses the scaffold to explain how Hester can not believe that the “A'; and the baby are real. In the second scaffold scene, Hawthorne tries to convey to the reader that Hester has fully repented for her sin, however this is not true. In the final scaffold scene, Hester does not yet fully repent for her sin because her love for Dimmesdale is still strong. Through Hester, Hawthorne is trying to communicate to the

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The scarlet Letter, the scaffold is one of the many symbolism that is mentioned in The Scarlet letter. The scaffold has an important significance and symbolism which is shown in three different scenes. The symbolism and significance of the scaffold in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The scarlet letter significance sin, shame and redemption.

Hawthorne’s theme of freedom and refuge being found in odd places is supported by the symbols of the scarlet letter and the scaffold. The scarlet letter freed Hester from the guilt of her sin and kept her from committing the same wrongdoing. While the scaffold displayed Hester’s sin to the whole town,

The layout of The Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne, is portrayed through three major scenes that happen on the scaffold in the town square. The events that occur on the scaffold will determine the path that each of the main characters, Hester, Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, and Pearl will take throughout the novel. Each scene marks a different change in the individual’s transformation. The events on the scaffold show the change over time in the person’s mindset and their relationship to the story.

The changing imagery of each of the three scaffold scenes presents Hawthorne’s idea of private vs. public sin. Using different visual elements such as light and placement, Hawthorne’s imagery creates a separation of each scene (and character) for the reader. This idea is carried out through the portrayal of Dimmesdale and Hester, each with their own kind of sin to endure. In the first scaffold scene, Hawthorne exemplifies Hester’s public sin as she stands in the exposure of daylight, facing a crowd of townspeople, her embroidered A visible to all. Her shame is very much public, with societies reactions and judgements ringing loudly throughout the scenes description.

This chapter continues at the scaffold when Hester notices a man that resembles her husband from England. Their eyes meet but he motions her to not let anyone in the crowd know that it is her husband. He then finds a man in the crowd and ask him about the woman and the baby. The man in the crowd explains that Hester is the wife of a well know Englishman who decided to immigrate to America. He first wanted to send his wife and said he would join her soon. He never came and then it was later revealed that Hester was pregnant. Hester’s husband asked the man in the crowd who the dad is but Hester will not say.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, a dark tale of sin and redemption, centers on the small Puritan community of Boston during the seventeenth century. In the center of this bustling community is the market place. With in it are all the central features of the town, the most symbolic of these is the scaffold. Many a soul is scarred upon this scaffold. It is a place of intense scrutiny and upon it, reality comes into a brutal light. In exceptional contrast to the scaffold is the forest beyond the town. Here, there is no judgement and reality waxes and wanes. Hawthorne creates this place for the characters to escape and themselves without restraint or worry. The comparison is clear: the market place, especially the scaffold,

In the book, The Scarlet Letter written by N. Hawthorne the themes of sin, passion, and the supernatural illustrates the personal rebellion against social belief.

In the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, we notice that action only happens in a few places, among which are the forest, the market place, the governor’s residence, and Dimmesdale’s house. Although all these locations are significant to the story, the most important symbol among them is certainly the scaffold in the market place, where the story begins and ends. The scaffold’s meaning changes throughout the story and has different values for different characters. It represents humiliation, then insight, and finally redemption for Hester and Dimmesdale, but for Chillingworth, it symbolizes birth of sin, growth of sin, and ultimately consummation by sin.

In addition, William wanted the sin of adultery to be a death penalty offense. This was an idea illustrated through the protagonist, Hester Prynne. Hester had committed adultery against her husband, by engaging sexual intercourse with Reverend Dimmesdale. As a result, she became pregnant, which startled high officials. A few months after sleeping with Dimmesdale, Hester began to show symptoms of early pregnancy. This led the townspeople to wonder if she was in fact pregnant. The rumor soon stood at the doors of high officials, where she was questioned whether or not she had a child in her womb. Soon after, Hester was condemned publicly on the scaffold. Hawthorne wrote, “Speak Woman!” said another cold voice, coldly and sternly, proceeding from the crowd about the scaffold” (Hawthorne, 1850, p. 79). Hester was publicly judged not only by prominent men, but by the townspeople as well.