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Pructus Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
The scarlet letter
A throng of bearded men, in sad-coloured garments and grey steeple-crowned hats, inter-mixed with women, some wearing hoods, and others bareheaded, was assembled in front of a wooden edifice, the door of which was heavily timbered with oak, and studded with iron spikes. (The scarlet letter)
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Hi,
The underlined "some wearing hoods, and others bareheaded"....
Who were wearing hoods, and others bareheaded?
Does it refer to the "a throng of bearded men" or "women"?
Or is it ambiguous?
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Hi,
The underlined "some wearing hoods, and others bareheaded"....
Who were wearing hoods, and others bareheaded?
Does it refer to the "a throng of bearded men" or "women"?
Or is it ambiguous?
Top answer
You're right .. it's ambiguous. However, I think that the underlined part refers to women because the men present in the scene are bearded and wearing grey steeple-crowned hats.
- You're right ..
- it's ambiguous.
- However, I think that the underlined part refers to women because the men present in the scene are bearded and wearing grey steeple-crowned hats.
- Bearded men with hats, inter-mixed with women wearing hoods or no no head coverings.
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5 Answers
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You're right .. it's ambiguous.
However, I think that the underlined part refers to women because the men present in the scene are bearded and wearing grey steeple-crowned hats.
Bearded men with hats, inter-mixed with women wearing hoods or no no head coverings.
However, I think that the underlined part refers to women because the men present in the scene are bearded and wearing grey steeple-crowned hats.
Bearded men with hats, inter-mixed with women wearing hoods or no no head coverings.
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Since all the men wore grey steeple-crowned hats, who do you think were bareheaded or wearing hoods?
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Oh, I didn't think about that....
The men were wearing "grey steeple-crowned hats".
There was enough hint....
Thanks, JohnParis!!
The men were wearing "grey steeple-crowned hats".
There was enough hint....
Thanks, JohnParis!!
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There shouldn't be any ambiguity, because of the context. At the time depicted in the story, in this type of formal and serious situation, the men would wear hats, never hoods - in fact, they would almost never wear hoods. The women might wear hoods or go bareheaded. If nothing else, the word "bareheaded" gives it away. In those days it was not an insignificant thing for a woman to go barehead
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