num_pages: 180
description: 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.
language: English
title: The Scarlet Letter
titlecomplete: The Scarlet Letter
characters: Arthur Dimmesdale, Roger Chillingworth, Pearl Prynne, Hester Prynne, Governor Bellingham, Mistress Hibbins
genres: Fiction, Historical, Classic Literature, School, Literature, Read For School, Classics, Novels, High School, Historical Fiction
ratings_count: 840895
places: The United States of America, Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts
publisher: Dover Publications