The Scarlet Letter

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Hailed by Henry James as "the finest piece of imaginative writing yet put forth in the country", Nathaniel Hawthorne's T... (more)

Hailed by Henry James as "the finest piece of imaginative writing yet put forth in the country", Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter reaches to our nation's historical and moral roots for the material of great tragedy. Set in an early New England colony, the novel shows the terrible impact a single, passionate act has on the lives of three members of the community: the defiant Hester Prynne; the fiery, tortured Reverend Dimmesdale; and the obsessed, vengeful Chillingworth. (less)

"The canonical American masterpiece of sin, guilt, and revenge, in an authoritative new edition from Penguin Classics wi... (more)

"The canonical American masterpiece of sin, guilt, and revenge, in an authoritative new edition from Penguin Classics with a foreword by Tom Perrotta At once retrospective and radically new, The Scarlet Letter portrays seventeenth-century Puritan New England, a time period irreversibly encoded in the American identity. Hawthorne built one of the most incisive and devastating human dramas ever written out of a community and its outcasts: Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, whose affair leaves one emblazoned with her sin and the other distraught with hidden guilt; their daughter Pearl, born into ostracism; and Roger Chillingworth, driven to vengeance by hatred. Though these characters face a set of specifically troubling circumstances, their words and actions point to moral truths inherent in human affairs, independent of time and place. The text of this edition, approved by the Center for Scholarly Editions of the Modern Language Association, is the result of an exhaustive examination of Hawthorne's manuscript and other historical records. Robert Milder provides an enlightening new scholarly introduction and bibliography. Tom Perrotta, whose novel The Leftovers--now a hit HBO show--was influenced by Hawthorne's work, provides a thoughtful foreword on how he came to appreciate Hawthorne's masterpiece. For more than sixty-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators"-- (less)

In the puritanical Boston of the 17th Century, a woman gives birth after committing adultery. That woman, Hester Prynne,... (more)

In the puritanical Boston of the 17th Century, a woman gives birth after committing adultery. That woman, Hester Prynne, choses to create a new life for herself in the face of adversity rather than succumb to what is expected of her. She will not name the father. Her decision opens up the tension between religious life and the true grace of God, and between personal guilt, religious sin and legal guilt. The novel is prefaced by a "real" account of the author finding notes on a case similar to Hestor's in a Custom House, from which he fashioned the story. The preface is to be read as fictional. (less)

From the opening lines of The Scarlet Letter , Hawthorne transports the reader to a New England world of Puritan ethics ... (more)

From the opening lines of The Scarlet Letter , Hawthorne transports the reader to a New England world of Puritan ethics where characters struggle against society and themselves. When adulterer Hester Prynne refuses to name the father of her illegitimate daughter, Pearl, the threatened town further ostracizes her. Still, many townspeople come to regard the allegorical scarlet letter ?A? as meaning (3zsAble(3y ssince Hester remains determinately strong. The Scarlet Letter has retained its relevance years after its 1850 publication because it engages the reader in an exploration into the most fundamental of human emotions that include: love and hate; acceptance and ridicule; trust and betrayal; and repentance and denial. The novel acts as a catalyst for readers to question what they think and why they hold their particular opinions. (less)

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The Scarlet Letter was originally published in 1850 and was a bestseller at the time. This powerful American story of se... (more)

The Scarlet Letter was originally published in 1850 and was a bestseller at the time. This powerful American story of secret love and sin, of spiritual hypocrisy and moral courage, and of female bravery during a time when women were rarely respected, resonated with readers then and continues to do so now. Set in the staunchly Puritan world of 1600s Boston Hester Prynne has committed adultery and given birth to an illegitimate daughter, Pearl, while her elder husband is away. Refusing to reveal Pearl's father Hester is punished and scorned by the community and forced to wear a red letter "A". Over seven years Hester, Pearl's father, and Hester's estranged husband Roger Chillingworth, suffer the consequences of betrayal, guilt revenge, and humiliation. (less)

Hailed by Henry James as "the finest piece of imaginative writing yet put forth in the country," Nathaniel Hawthorne's?T... (more)

Hailed by Henry James as "the finest piece of imaginative writing yet put forth in the country," Nathaniel Hawthorne's?The Scarlet Letter?reaches to our nation's historical and moral roots for the material of great tragedy. Set in an early New England colony, the novel shows the terrible impact of a single passionate act on the lives of three people: the fiery, tortured Reverend Dimmesdale; the obsessed, vengeful Chillingworth; and the defiant Hester Prynne, who, unwilling to name her partner in adultery, is condemned to wear a scarlet "A" on the breast of her gown for the remainder of her life. She and her illegitimate daughter become outcasts, forced to live solitary lives?until Hester's estranged husband arrives and stirs up trouble. With?The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne became the first American novelist to forge from our Puritan heritage a universal classic?a masterful exploration of humanity's unending struggle with sin, guilt, and pride. (less)

A young woman gives birth to an illegitimate child in seventeenth century New England and she must endure public condemn... (more)

A young woman gives birth to an illegitimate child in seventeenth century New England and she must endure public condemnation and the burden of a terrible secret. (less)

Hester Prynne and her lover feel the effects of sin in Puritan New England. (more)

Hester Prynne and her lover feel the effects of sin in Puritan New England. (less)

Hester Prynne faces the wrath of Puritan society when she commits adultery and refuses to name her lover. (more)

Hester Prynne faces the wrath of Puritan society when she commits adultery and refuses to name her lover. (less)

Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel brings to life the attitudes and passions of 17th century New England. Condemned by her Puri... (more)

Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel brings to life the attitudes and passions of 17th century New England. Condemned by her Puritan fellows for having a child out of wedlock, Hester Prynne is forced to wear a scarlet letter. (less)

Featuring complete, unabridged, dramatized narration by Pat Bottino and on-screen displays of the text. Illustrations fr... (more)

Featuring complete, unabridged, dramatized narration by Pat Bottino and on-screen displays of the text. Illustrations from W.A. Dwiggins, George Boughton, Mary Foote, and Joanne Pursell. (less)

In a time when adultery is punishable by death, Hester Prynne becomes involved in a risky and scandalous affair with her... (more)

In a time when adultery is punishable by death, Hester Prynne becomes involved in a risky and scandalous affair with her town's handsome minister. (less)