'The Scarlet Letter' by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a classic novel set in Puritan New England during the 17th century. The story revolves around Hester Prynne, an adulteress who is forced to wear a scarlet letter 'A' on her dress as a symbol of her sin. The narrative delves into the consequences of adultery on the lives of Hester, her daughter Pearl, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. The book explores themes of morality, guilt, sin, and redemption against the backdrop of a society obsessed with morals. Hawthorne's prose is described as beautiful and the book is considered a work of art due to its compelling portrayal of human frailty and sorrow.
Genres:
Tropes/Plot Devices:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers include themes of public shaming, mental anguish, and religious judgment.
Has Romance?
The romance element is significant yet complicated by themes of guilt and societal judgment.
From The Publisher:
Having been found guilty of adultery, Hester Prynne is forced to wear an embroidered scarlet letter A as a punishment for her sin. While her vengeful husband embarks on a quest to discover the identity of her lover, she is left to face the consequences of her infidelity and find a place for herself and her illegitimate child in the hostile environment of seventeenth-century Puritan Boston.
Nathaniel Hawthorne's tense narrative astonished readers with its unparalleled psychological depth when it first appeared, and the novel now stands as one of America's literary landmarks.
Ratings (184)
Incredible (10) | |
Loved It (42) | |
Liked It (50) | |
It Was OK (47) | |
Did Not Like (26) | |
Hated It (9) |
Reader Stats (285):
Read It (200) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (62) | |
Did Not Finish (5) | |
Not Interested (17) |
5 comment(s)
2.5 stars. I liked the concept and was interesting in reading about the injustice of Hester being branded with the Scarlett letter as punishment. A mark of shame because of adultery. But I didn't think Nathaniel Hawthorn did a very good job developing the story. Even though the premise was intruging the way it was written left me feeling underwhelmed and honestly bored. Might be interesting to read an retailing of this story.
I was forced to read it around 30 years ago when I was in highschool. I couldn't relate to the main character; agreeing to marry an old man, "Roger," I think, to get passage to America. That's just stupid; what a stupid decision. Then the rest of the book is about complaining about Roger. Roger is stupid too. Did he really think a young girl will stay loyal because he paid for her ride? I read it when I was a kid, but I mostly remember being astounded by how stupid and unrelatable the main characters were. A symphony of stupid decisions in a background of dogmatic puritanical society.
What what Pearl!
i will always be a fan of biblical imagery and symbolism especially when it comes from a place of fear
I didn't quite know what to expect from this book, but probably not exactly what I found. I guess I expected it to be a much more powerful story.
This is a very interesting story idea. The entire book begins at an extraordinary moment. When we see the effects of events that took place before, Hester is punished. Interestingly, we are not going back to what led to the current situation at all. We will never know how the feeling between her and the young pastor arose. For most of the book, we don't really know if they really were in love or if it was just an impulse, one moment.
Some aspects of this book have gotten so old they are practically incomprehensible. For example, I did not always fully understand the behavior of Hester who, on the one hand, bears her punishment with dignity, somewhat in defiance of the people of the city, and on the other hand, she self-flagellates herself and believes that her punishment is justified because she has sinned. I didn't think I understood Pearl's symbolism either. Was the girl supposed to be evil at least a bit because she was born of sin? It is not at all clear to me. I don't think this book has aged very well.
I also wonder if I understood the message of this book. I think that the symbolism sometimes went too far and everything was a little chaotic. Philosophical considerations about morality did not always reach me.
But most of all, I think this is one of those stories that I will totally forget soon. I won't be able to remember what the book was about. Nothing made such a strong impression on me that I would remember it.
What can you read after
The Scarlet Letter?
About the Author:
Nathanial Hawthorne was the author of many classics, such as The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
