The Scarlet Letter
Summary
‘The Scarlet Letter’, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is set in 17 th century puritan Salem,
Massachusetts. The novel entails the life of Hester Prynne, a woman who is alienated from
society due to having committed adultery, and giving birth to her child, Pearl, out of
wedlock. As punishment, she is forced to wear a scarlet ‘A’ on her dress as a symbol of her
sin. Hester refuses to reveal the identity of the father; however, it is eventually discovered
to be Reverend Dimmesdale, who is in grave danger as Hester’s estranged husband, Roger
Chillingworth, seeks revenge.
Key Themes
- Sin
- Guilt and shame
- Religion
- Revenge and forgiveness
- Women
- Public vs private life, secrets
AO3- significant contextual factors
The Scarlet Letter was written in 1849 and published in 1850. It is set from 1642-1649.
Biographical:
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804, in Salem, Massachusetts. His great great
grandfather was a judge who condemned people to death during the 1692 Salem witch
trials; Hawthorne’s scathing criticism of his puritan ancestors is evident throughout the
novel.
Hawthorne’s mother, shortly after marrying, was sent to live with her husband’s
puritanical sisters, 7 months married and 9 months pregnant, for which she was heavily
shamed. His father, who was a sea captain, died in 1808.
Hawthorne altered his surname to distance himself from his ancestry: the name was
originally Hathorne.
American literary movement- transcendentalism (1836-60):
The movement was a reaction against the rationalism of the previous century and the
religious orthodoxy of Calvinist New England.
Principle writers of the movement: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Margaret
Fuller, W.H.Channing.
Summary
‘The Scarlet Letter’, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is set in 17 th century puritan Salem,
Massachusetts. The novel entails the life of Hester Prynne, a woman who is alienated from
society due to having committed adultery, and giving birth to her child, Pearl, out of
wedlock. As punishment, she is forced to wear a scarlet ‘A’ on her dress as a symbol of her
sin. Hester refuses to reveal the identity of the father; however, it is eventually discovered
to be Reverend Dimmesdale, who is in grave danger as Hester’s estranged husband, Roger
Chillingworth, seeks revenge.
Key Themes
- Sin
- Guilt and shame
- Religion
- Revenge and forgiveness
- Women
- Public vs private life, secrets
AO3- significant contextual factors
The Scarlet Letter was written in 1849 and published in 1850. It is set from 1642-1649.
Biographical:
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804, in Salem, Massachusetts. His great great
grandfather was a judge who condemned people to death during the 1692 Salem witch
trials; Hawthorne’s scathing criticism of his puritan ancestors is evident throughout the
novel.
Hawthorne’s mother, shortly after marrying, was sent to live with her husband’s
puritanical sisters, 7 months married and 9 months pregnant, for which she was heavily
shamed. His father, who was a sea captain, died in 1808.
Hawthorne altered his surname to distance himself from his ancestry: the name was
originally Hathorne.
American literary movement- transcendentalism (1836-60):
The movement was a reaction against the rationalism of the previous century and the
religious orthodoxy of Calvinist New England.
Principle writers of the movement: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Margaret
Fuller, W.H.Channing.
