The three hold hands, forming an “electric chain.” The minister feels energized and warmed by their presence.

Dimmesdale invites them to join him on the scaffold, which they do. Hester and Pearl had also been at Winthrop's deathbed because the talented seamstress had been asked to make the governor's burial robe. Having come so close to being sighted, Dimmesdale begins to fantasize about what would happen if everyone in town were to witness their holy minister standing in the place of public shame.ĭimmesdale laughs aloud and is answered by a laugh from Pearl, whose presence he had not noticed. But Wilson, coming from the deathbed of Governor Winthrop (the colony's first governor), passes without noticing the penitent. He almost laughs when he sees Reverend Wilson, and in his delirium he thinks that he calls out to the older minister. As Dimmesdale stands upon the scaffold, his mind turns to absurd thoughts.

Fortunately for Dimmesdale, the few townspeople who heard the cry took it for a witch's voice. The pain in his breast causes him to scream aloud, and he worries that everyone in the town will wake up and come to look at him. Summary of Chapter XII: The Minister's Vigilĭimmesdale mounts the scaffold. He decides to hold a vigil on the scaffold where, years before, Hester suffered for her sin. During one of these vigils, Dimmesdale seizes on an idea for what he believes may be a remedy to his pain. it shrinks to nothing within his grasp.” Dimmesdale begins to torture himself physically: he scourges himself with a whip, he fasts, and he holds extended vigils, during which he stays awake throughout the night meditating upon his sin. Unable to unburden himself of the guilt deriving from his sin, he begins to believe that “the whole universe is false. Even the Bible offers him little support. In one vision, he sees Hester and “little Pearl in her scarlet garb.” Hester points “her forefinger, first at the scarlet letter on her [motbosom, and then at the clergyman's own breast.” The minister understands that he is delusional, but his psychological tumult leads him to assign great meaning to his delusions. As a result, his self-probing keeps him up at night, and he even sees visions. His struggles allow him to empathize with human weakness, and he thus addresses “the whole human brotherhood in the heart's native language.” Although the reverend deeply yearns to confess the truth of his sin to his parishioners, he cannot bring himself to do so. Dimmesdale's suffering, however, does inspire him to deliver some of his most powerful sermons, which focus on the topic of sin. The minister often regards his doctor with distrust and even loathing, but because he can assign no rational basis to his feelings, he dismisses them and continues to suffer. Summary of Chapter XI: The Interior of a HeartĬhillingworth continues to play mind games with Dimmesdale, making his revenge as terrible as possible.

Scaffold meaning to puritan community