The Scarlet Letter is a novel set in Puritan Boston. It follows the life of Hester Prynne, a woman who has an affair with a young minister after her husband disappears. She is socially outcast when she becomes pregnant. It was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Fast Facts:
- Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Published: 1850
- Genre: American Gothic Romance
- Setting: Puritan Boston, 1600s
- Has inspired many films and on-stage productions
Plot Synopsis
The Scarlett Letter begins with the story of Hester Prynne, who has come to Boston from the old world ahead of her husband. Unfortunately, he never shows up to reclaim his wife. After a period of time, the wife has an affair with a local minister named Dimmesdale and is caught when she becomes pregnant with his child. The townsfolk cannot get her to tell who her lover is, but they brand her instead with the punishment of wearing a scarlet "A" for adultery upon her garments for the rest of her life.
Unknown to her, her husband had come back, but was among the silent observers at her public hearing, having disguised himself and changed his name to Chillingworth. He later reveals himself to her, and resolves to find out who she has been with so he can inflict revenge. Only after seeing the guilt-ridden strange behavior from Dimmesdale does he finally realize the truth.
The Scarlet Letter Adaptations
The following links are to IMDb which has pop-ups.
1908: The Scarlet Letter
1922: The Scarlet Letter
1934: The Scarlet Letter
1979: The Scarlet Letter
1995: The Scarlet Letter
