The Scarlet Letter Scaffold Scenes Essay Example for Free

The violent Letter Scaffold Scenes EssayThe Scarlet Letter Interpretive Essay In Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter, the Reverend Dimmesdale is the central conflict of the story. He is torn between his need to accept and pronounce his sin and Pearl as his daughter and his heat of freedom. His demeanor drastically changes from the first scaffold scene, where he is seen as a two-faced criticizer to the third and net scaffold scene, where he humbly repents and acknowledges his sin publicly.The three scaffold scenes in the book are truly important, as they portray Dimmesdales gradual advancement from total hypocrite towards complete atonement for his sin. In the first scaffold scene, Hester Prynne is seen on the scaffold, retentivity Pearl in her arms, unwaveringly acknowledging her sin. The Reverend Dimmesdale is there as well, taking on the role of her accuser and demanding that she reveal the person with whom she committed the adulterous act. Hester Prynne absolutely re fuses to name the capture of her child and declares. I will not speak, and my child must seek a heavenly Father, she s entrance hall never know an earthly one (Page 60) This scene shows Reverend Dimmesdale as a sheer hypocrite and, trance he persists in having Hester name her lover, he secretly prays that she maintains her silence in order to keep his nature immaculate. At the second scaffold scene, Dimmesdale, who is still maintaining his position as Hester Prynnes accuser and a hypocrite, is suffering with the beat of his perfect reputation battling his real self.During the middle of the night, while the townspeople are all asleep, Dimmesdale makes his way to the scaffold, holding a silent vigil. He cries out in physical and mental pain. Hester and Pearl hear his gross as they are on their way home and go to him. There, at Dimmesdales request, that they join him on the scaffold where they stand in the darkness, holding each other. Pearl then asks Dimmesdale if he would stand with them at noontide the next day and he refuses, saying that instead, they will stand together on the grand Judgement Day.During the third and final scaffold scene, Dimmesdale is finally seen as humbly repentant for his and Hesters sin. straight after his Election Day sermon, which makes him even more popular among the townspeople, Dimmesdale, leads the procession of people towards the town hall for a banquet. As he nears the scaffold, he calls for Hester and Pearl to help him up the stairs and asks them once once more to stand beside him. At this moment, Dimmesdale confesses to the whole town, pronouncing his guilt but yet, at the same time, was able to salvage his soul.Dimmesdale is finally able to free himself of all anguish and die with an open conscience. This is the only moment of pride for Dimmesdale passim the entire book. He then dies, knowing that he will be warmly welcomed into Gods Heavenly Kingdom. Through the three scaffold scenes, Nathaniel Hawthorne shows the increasing mental and physical pain the Reverend Dimmesdale see by trying to hide his sin from the townspeople and God Himself.In the first scaffold scene, he is Hesters two-faced accuser in the second scaffold scene, he displays unbearable bodily and psychological pain. Finally, in the third scaffold scene, he is publicly and humbly repentant for his sin, liberating not only himself, but also Hester and Pearl. Although one could say that he dies in shame in the eyes of the townspeople, because of his willful public confession, he is actually given a gracious acceptance into Heaven, where he will live with eternal enjoyment and completely free of any torment or anguish.