He thinks of the sin that he has committed by not standing on the scaffold seven years ago when Hester was accused. “Mr. Dimmesdale was overcome with a great horror of mind, as if the universe were gazing at a scarlet token on his naked breast, right over his heart” (144). The thoughts are so overbearing that he screams, trying to relieve himself from his thoughts and the weight of the guilt he is carrying. Dimmesdale then hopes for the town to find him on the scaffold confessing his sins but no one awakes to see him. “‘It is done!’ muttered the minister, covering his face with his hands. ‘The whole town will awake, and hurry forth, and find me here!’” (145). From this, it can be seen that he has not given up his life to accept his punishment but it is advancement from the first scene when he showed no outward sign of his remorse is shown. The second scaffold scene represents public
He thinks of the sin that he has committed by not standing on the scaffold seven years ago when Hester was accused. “Mr. Dimmesdale was overcome with a great horror of mind, as if the universe were gazing at a scarlet token on his naked breast, right over his heart” (144). The thoughts are so overbearing that he screams, trying to relieve himself from his thoughts and the weight of the guilt he is carrying. Dimmesdale then hopes for the town to find him on the scaffold confessing his sins but no one awakes to see him. “‘It is done!’ muttered the minister, covering his face with his hands. ‘The whole town will awake, and hurry forth, and find me here!’” (145). From this, it can be seen that he has not given up his life to accept his punishment but it is advancement from the first scene when he showed no outward sign of his remorse is shown. The second scaffold scene represents public