The Scarlet Letter
An "A" for "adultery" marks Hester Prynne as an outcast from the society of colonial Boston. Although forced by the puritanical town fathers to wear a bright red badge of shame, Hester steadfastly resists their efforts to discover the identity of her baby's father. The return of her long-absent spouse brings new pressure on the young mother, as the aggrieved husband undertakes a long-term plot to reveal Hester's partner in adultery and force him to share her disgrace.
Masterful in its symbolism and compelling in its character studies, Nathaniel Hawthorne's tale of punishment and reconciliation examines the concepts of sin, guilt, and pride. The Scarlet Letter was published to immediate acclaim in 1850. Its timeless exploration of moral and spiritual issues, along with its philosophical and psychological insights, keep it ever relevant for students of American literature and lovers of fiction.
A selection of the Common Core State Standards Initiative.
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Community Reviews
Good plot, character development, themes, etc... which probably accounts for it being part of our 11th grade requirements, but what a difficult read!
It was a sad story. Even so, I loved it. This is the first Hawthorne's novel I read. I'm surprised about his ability for making you feel close to the characters and close to the story, and at the same time, you, as a reader, feel the story as an intruder, as a real witness of a tragedy you don't belong to, but you are taking part in.
It was beautiful, especially, the depictions of the walks through the wild and unexplored woods of New England.
I felt it as an autumnal reading. Very soft, very gentle, very simple and quiet in appearance, and full of violence and injustice on the other hand.
A painful love story, but most of all, a story about love and hate, and the very little distance between them. A story about humankind conscience vs sin. A tragedy in all its rule.
The final chapter is a masterpiece.
Just love Hawthorne.
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