The Scarlet Letter is a novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne that was first published in 1850. The story takes place in Puritan Boston in 1642, where Hester Prynne has been convicted of adultery and must wear a scarlet letter A on her chest at all times.
The novel explores themes of shame, sin, and redemption. Hester’s husband, Roger Chillingworth, seeks revenge on the man who he believes is her lover, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. In addition to exploring themes related to sin and redemption, The Scarlet Letter also explores the role of women during this time period.
Hester’s husband, Roger Chillingworth, seeks revenge on the man who he believes is her lover, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. He eventually reveals himself as Dimmesdale’s doctor and poisons his patient with mercury, which causes him to suffer from hallucinations. When Dimmesdale finally dies, Chillingworth takes his body back to England where it is buried under an assumed name.
Hester raises their daughter Pearl alone until she meets another man named Roger Prynne who falls in love with her and asks for her hand in marriage. However, when he learns about her past he rejects her because he doesn’t want his child to be branded with a “scarlet letter.”
The book is one of the most important works of American literature. It has been translated into many languages and adapted for stage, film and television several times.
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American writer of the 19th century whose works include short stories, novels and essays. He was born on July 4th 1804 in Salem Massachusetts and died on May 19th 1864 in Plymouth Massachusetts.
