What Does The Scaffold Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter

Throughout the mid 1600’s, there was a short time when the Puritan religion ruled over the recently founded New England. Nathaniel Hawthorne, a strict anti-transcendentalist, expresses different themes in his book, The Scarlet Letter. In his novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the symbolism of the scarlet letter, the scaffold, and Pearl to contribute to the overall theme of sin. Firstly, the sin that traps Dimmesdale, shows as a habit of a hand covering his chest, later revealing the scarlet letter, A on his flesh. The scarlet letter has had the same toll on Hester Prynne, the original wearer of the scarlet letter on her clothes. A young wife said, “Ah, but let her cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will always be in her heart” (Hawthorne 49). This remark made by the townswoman shows that no matter how much you try to hide something, the sin will always be there for you to deal with mentally. As the story continues, Hester is sent to stand in the middle of the market for her punishment following
Hawthorne explains, “ In fact this scaffold… as it was the essence of this punishment to do…” (Hawthorne 54) Hawthorne said this as Hester was approaching the scaffold for her punishment. The scaffold is a place where sin is punished, Hester has been standing there to do just that. As time goes on, and years pass, Dimmesdale, tortured from the same effects of his hidden sin, returns to the scaffold where Hester stood years earlier while he questioned her. Hawthorne explains this saying, “ Walking in the shadow… Mr. Dimmesdale reached the spot where, not so long since, Hester Prynne had lived... “ (Hawthorne 143). Hawthorne says this to show that the sin that Arthur Dimmesdale shares with Hester brought him back to the same place of punishment as Hester due to the consuming guilt. He feels that he needs to be punished for his