Meagre, indeed, and cold, was the sympathy that a transgressor might look for, from such bystanders at the scaffold. On the other hand, a penalty which, in our days, would infer a degree of mocking infamy and ridicule, might then be invested with almost as stern a dignity as the punishment of death itself. Which best describes the purpose of the words “meagre,” “scaffold,” “stern,” and “punishment of death”?, indeed, and cold, was the sympathy that a transgressor might look for, from such bystanders at the scaffold. On the other hand, a penalty which, in our days, would infer a degree of mocking infamy and ridicule, might then be invested with almost as stern a dignity as the punishment of death itself. Which best describes the purpose of the words “meagre,” “scaffold,” “stern,” and “punishment of death”?
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This line is taken from the book "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaneil Hawthorne.
The author wants to show the readers, how cold at heart, were the bystanders at the scaffold. He says that even small crimes, were punished severely in those days. He shows that in puritan days, crimes that would have only been a mocking infamy would be punished with death.
Hope this solves your question.
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