The scaffold scenes are one of the most dramatic structuring devices in The Scarlet Letter. They provide a framework for the entire novel and help highlight the most important themes. Notice that the novel contains 24 chapters . The first scaffold scene is contained in chapters 1-3.
What is the third scaffold scene in Scarlet Letter?
This third and final scaffold scene serves as a catharsis , as all unsettled matters are given resolution. Pearl acquires a father, Dimmesdale finally confesses, and Chillingworth definitively loses his chance for revenge.
What happens in the second scaffold scene in Scarlet Letter?
The second scaffold scene again provides a view of all the principal characters, a dramatic vision of the scarlet A, and one of the most memorable tableaus in American literature . In the covering of darkness, Dimmesdale has made his way to the scaffold to perform a silent vigil of his own.
What is the scaffold What is it used for scarlet letter?
The scaffold represents truth and is an important symbol of the difference between Hester and Dimmesdale’s situations. It shows the contrast between public shame and inner struggle. The scaffold supports Hawthorne’s point that true repentence cannot occur until sin becomes public.
How many scaffold scenes are in The Scarlet Letter?
The scaffold scenes are one of the most dramatic structuring devices in The Scarlet Letter. They provide a framework for the entire novel and help highlight the most important themes. Notice that the novel contains 24 chapters . The first scaffold scene is contained in chapters 1-3.
Why is the first scaffold scene very ironic?
In the first scaffold scene, what’s ironic about Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale asking Hester Prynne to reveal the partner in her sin of adultery? Dimmesdale is the partner in Hester’s sin, no one else realizes Dimmesdale and Hester had an affair, and Hester will not reveal Dimmesdale’s sin , even though he asks her to.
What happens to Pearl at the end of The Scarlet Letter?
In a rather ironic ending, Pearl, the “elf-child” becomes the most human in the final scaffold scene . Having inherited property from Chillingworth, she has become the “richest heiress of her day, in the New World.” With such riches, she may have married well, but her mother has taken her away to Europe.
How does Hester earn a living?
Hester Prynne, heroine and protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, lives alone with her infant daughter, Pearl, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. She manages to make a living to support herself and her daughter by sewing and embroidering for others. ... Hester becomes a seamstress .
What caused Hester’s infant to cry out while she was standing on the scaffold?
What causes Hester’s infant to cry out while she’s standing on the scaffold? She is frightened by the shouting of the angry crowd. ... Hester squeezes her too tightly.
What does The Scarlet Letter symbolize?
The scarlet letter is meant to be a symbol of shame , but instead it becomes a powerful symbol of identity to Hester. The letter’s meaning shifts as time passes.
What act breaks the spell on Pearl and makes her capable of joy?
What act breaks the spell on Pearl and makes her capable of joy? kissing her dying father.
What does the sun symbolize in The Scarlet Letter?
Every so often, sunshine flickers on the setting. But Pearl reminds her mother that the sun will not shine on the sinful Hester; it does shine, however, when Hester passionately lets down her hair. The sun is the symbol of untroubled, guilt-free happiness, or perhaps the approval of God and nature .
What does Hester think about while she is on the scaffold?
What things does Hester think about while on the scaffold? She thinks about suicide, her parents, school days, sports, childish quarrels, maiden years and a new life .
What is the scaffold a symbol of?
The scaffold plays a vital role in The Scarlet Letter. In the novel, it’s both the symbol of sin and shame , as well as the site of ultimate redemption.
What is the importance of the scaffold?
It allows builders to safely erect high-rise buildings and/ or carry out necessary repairs and maintenance of any structure or building. Scaffolding also ensures fast completion of the construction work needed, whilst guaranteeing the safety of workers and the general public.
What does the scaffold symbolize in The Scarlet Letter in Chapter 12?
The scaffold symbolizes the need for public punishment and atonement .
