In chapter twelve, the dreadful scaffold appears again. Dimmesdale's frenzied scream and hallucination of talking to Mr. Wilson make me think that he must be mentally ill. Dimmesdale, Hester Prynne and Pearl all stand on the scaffold together. The first time the scaffold is introduced, Hester alone stands upon it for her guilt. Now, Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold for his guilt and punishment. This chapter is also important because it brings all the main characters together. Chillingworth’s appearance has a creepy air to it. He appears suddenly, and stands beside the scaffold holding a light.
Pearl repeatedly asks Dimmesdale if he will take her hands tomorrow and stand on the scaffold with her at noon. Dimmesdale, as usual, demonstrates his fear of confession.
Your posts are getting better and better. Yes, Dimmesdale does seem to be mentally ill at this point. I can understand how this illness could happen given the impossibility of his reconciling his love for truth and his love for helping to guide his fellow men. He cannot decide, because he cannot surrender all the things that he has devoted his life to up to this time. Grammar and use of language in this post are very good.
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