The platform of the pillory, or the scaffold, is an actual
platform that a guilty person must stand on for a length of time in order to be put on
display for their sins and suffer public humiliation.
1st
scene:
who: Hester and (baby)
Pearl.
when:
Noon
reason: Hester's punishment as dictated by
the laws of the colony for comitting adultery
significant
spectators: the entire colony, the magistrates and ministers,
Chillingworth (who has just arrived)
outcome:
Hester will not reveal who the father of the baby is, even when persuaded by Dimmesdale
himself (sit. irony); Hester shows no signs of remorse nor fear - looks very
proud.
2nd
scene:
who: Dimmesdale then
Hester and Pearl with him
when: middle of the
night about 7 years later
reasons: Dimmesdale
seeks resolution and forgiveness for hiding his secret sin; in this symbolic act of
repentance (in front of no one) he believes this will provide his soul with
relief
significant spectators: no one, but
Chillingworth shows up at the very end and it is a mystery how long he's been there and
how much he has seen
outcome: Pearl and Hester
join Dimmesdale and for a moment he has an unusual feeling of strength; Pearl asks him,
"Will you stand with us, we three together, tommorrow noon-tide?" She continues to
condemn him for keeping the secret; a shooting star then bursts through the sky leaving
what looks like a large letter "A" behind it; the next morning the townspeople who saw
it say it was an A for "angel" as the great Gov. Winthrop died the night before; also,
Dimmesdale forgets his glove on the steps, and when it is found the next morning the
townspeople say that Satan himself must have taken it and placed it
there.
3rd
scene:
who: Dimmesdale, Pearl,
Hester
when: middle of the day, just after the
annual election day speech made by
Dimmesdale
reason: Hester and Dimmesdale plan to
board a boat and leave for England; this is Dimmesdale's final action to absolve himself
of his sin; he climbs the steps first then encourages Hester and Pearl to join
him
significant spectators: the entire colony
plus a bunch of visitors
outcome: Dimmesdale rips
his shirt off and although it is not said exactly what is there, it is assumed he has
his own scarlet letter on his chest; the entire colony finally
knows the truth of who the father is; Chillingworth approaches the steps and tries to
get Dimmesdale to come down, then says, basically, this is the one and only place you
could have escaped me - confirming that the only way for Dimmesdale to truly repent was
to come clean before the people; oh yes, and Dimmesdale dies.
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