The Scarlet Letter: The Symbolic Scaffold

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his sin becomes too much to bear alone. Dimmesdale goes to the scaffold to confess to God. Soon after, Hester and Pearl arrive, and join Dimmesdale on the scaffold. A meteor that appears and leaves an image of the scarlet A across the sky illuminates the three. This scene is symbolic because it shows how the Reverend wishes to confess his sins and overcome them. The final scaffold scene takes place at the end of the novel. Once more, Dimmesdale joins Hester and Pearl on the scaffold. Hester’s lover confesses his sins to the townspeople and reveals the mark of sin upon his chest. This scene is very symbolic because Mr. Dimmesdale finally rids himself of his guilt, but he only does this with the help of his lover and his child. Dimmesdale dies after confessing his sins to the townspeople. It is ironic that after the Reverend overcomes his torturous guilt, he must die.
Hawthorne’s use of a central setting for such important developments in the plot of The Scarlet Letter shows ...

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