In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses three scenes on the scaffold to emphasize suffering and torment in Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Throughout the book, the scaffold has been the symbol of puritan society’s harsh punishment for sinners. The three scaffold scenes in The Scarlet Letter convey the theme of sin not being tolerated whatsoever in Puritan Society. Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is tormented throughout the story and in all three scenes with the scaffold. In the second scaffold scene, Dimmesdale is “overwhelmed with shame, and stand[s] where Hester Prynne had stood” (pg. 139). He “shriek[s] aloud” (pg. 136) as he remembers the torture he had to endure during Hester’s derision. His lengthy torment of keeping his dark secret causes him a great deal of anguish. His position as a minister entitles him to be a role model for the Christian faith, but he f
eels unworthy because he is a sinner. In the last scene, Dimmesdale is so burdened with his “heavy sin and miserable agony” (pg. 230), that he at last confesses his sin to the world. He is compelled to cease withholding his awful secret any longer from the dignified and venerable rulers, his fellow ministers, and his trusting congregation. The last scaffold scene is Dimmesdale’s release of his burden, which accumulates through the story. Dimmesdale’s torture is stretched throughout the story in all three scaffold scenes. Another significant obstacle for Dimmesdale is to gain Pearl’s acceptance, which is accomplished in the last scaffold scene. The minister’s final speech is at last delivered, and pearl shows her acceptance when she “kisse[s] his lips” (pg. 233). All other times that Dimmesdale seeks Pearl’s acceptance, she replies with references to the scaffold, fur
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