The Scarlet Letter

By Nathaniel Hawthorne and Jonty Claypole

A smash hit in its day, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is the gripping tale of three New England settlers at odds with the seventeenth-century Puritan society in which they live, and remains one of literature's most evocative portraits of a love triangle.

Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, pocket-sized classics bound in real cloth with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. Featuring an afterword by broadcaster Jonty Claypole.

Roger Chillingworth arrives in New England after two years' separation from his wife, Hester Prynne, to find her on trial for adultery. She refuses to reveal her lover and is sentenced to wear a scarlet letter 'A' sewn onto her clothes. Resolving to discover the man's identity, Roger sets out to destroy his rival, while Hester desperately tries to protect her illegitimate daughter from a society determined to condemn them both.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Release date: May 18, 2017
• ISBN: 9781509847075

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) was an American writer whose work was aligned with the Romantic movement. Much of his output, primarily set in New England, was based on his anti-puritan views. He is a highly regarded writer of short stories, yet his best-known works are his novels, including The Scarlet Letter (1850), The House of Seven Gables (1851), and The Marble Faun (1860). Much of his work features complex and strong female characters and offers deep psychological insights into human morality and social constraints.

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Reviews for The Scarlet Letter

[stevesbookstuff · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

“Hawthorne is the most consummate literary artist in American literature, and The Scarlet Letter is the greatest book ever written in the Western Hemisphere. It is not relatively, but absolutely great; it holds its place among the fifteen best nevels of the world”- William Lyon Phelps, professor of English Literature at Yale and Methodist preacher, from the 1926 introduction to The Scarlet Letter.I can’t bring myself to offer praise as effusive as William Lyon Phelps does in the above quote. I find the book's overt moral judgement and tendency to “tell rather than show” to be detractions from its reputation for greatness. And, I suspect that even as the learned professor wrote his 1926 introduction, The Scarlet Letter was already firmly established as the bane of Literature classes. Its dense sentences and 17th century Puritan setting can work to make it remote and unwelcoming to readers. Yet it continues to be an established American classic, ranking high on many modern lists of great American novels, just as it is still taught in high schools and colleges even now.The story is a familiar one. In the Puritan settlement of Boston in the 1640s Hester Prynne is publicly shamed for her sin - conceiving and bearing a child outside of marriage. Hester refuses to identify the child’s father. For her sin and her obstinance she is publicly shamed and forced to forevermore wear a prominent mark to signify her shame - the scarlet letter A. In attendance at her shaming as the full story starts are the other three main characters. In her arms is her “sin born” daughter Pearl. Helping to preside over her sentence is the Puritan preacher Dimmesdale - Pearl’s father whose reputation Hester is shielding - who makes his own choice not to reveal himself. Lastly, there is a new arrival to town, recently escaped from bondage to the Indians, who is later revealed to be Hester’s husband Roger Chillingworth.As the book progresses, we see the impact of the repressive Puritan culture on Dimmesdale, Hester and Pearl, and the scheming designs of Chillingworth. Dimmesdale is riven with guilt and anguish at his sin. The Puritans were Calvinists and believed that only the “Select” will get to Heaven. Those who sin here on earth give evidence that they are not among the Select. Dimmesdale's sins, he is sure, have made him unworthy of his role as preacher, and marked him as bound for hell. Chillingworth, who no one knows is Hester’s husband, exacts his revenge by inveigling his way into Dimmesdale’s life, preying on his guilt. Pearl looks fated to grow up unhappily among a colony of people who will think the worst of her no matter what she may do, while Hester will surely die of shame.But instead, Dimmesdale and Chillingsworth wither away and pay the ultimate price for their sins. Pearl escapes the clutches of the colony with her mother and returns to Europe where she will be well wed. Hester, after seeing to Pearl’s future, returns to Boston to voluntarily take back up the wearing of the scarlet letter. Only now she wears it without the shame its sentence was meant to give. Hawthorne is considered a Romantic, and an anti-Puritan. His own family were early settlers in Salem and some of his anti-Puritanism was no doubt personal and familial. It’s no coincidence then, that the object of Puritan shaming should gain the strength to stand up for herself and her daughter. But the other sinners who were not ill-treated by the Puritans do not escape the consequences of their sins - Dimmesdale for his lack of purity and Chillingsworth for his acts of revenge. Hawthorne was also given to writing stories with strong moral metaphors, and that is certainly true with The Scarlet Letter. The metaphors basically hit you over the head in this novel.It has long been popular. On its publication in 1850 The Scarlet Letter became an instant hit. It was one of the first mass produced books in the US, and its initial print run of 2500 copies sold out in ten days. It has scarcely had a day out of print since.

[la2bkk · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this short work more for its insights into the Puritan community (albeit overplayed) and lessons about humanity than for the quality of its writing. While the basic story is interesting, in my opinion Hawthorne's character development is remarkably weak. At times I felt as if I were reading a children's novel. That said, like it not, this is considered a classic hence is worth the read.

[soireb · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Read it as a class requirement, I like the imagery, but that is about it, not really crazy about the story, sorry. I feel like this being one of the great classics I should be doing backflips for it, but the truth is that the story just wasn't for me.

[karin7-11 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After a very slow beginning, I really enjoyed this novel. There is a lot to it beyond the surface, but I can see why so many teens don't care for it.

[mrslee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the most moving books I've read. Hester is carrying a child. Hester is not married and won't reveal the name of the father. In a time ruled by severe church authorities, this is not to be tolerated. The courage of Hester, her dignity, make her heroic to me. The father of the child is despicably weak, unable to own up to his sin and willing that she should be the one to suffer. A good example to show that if Christ is not ruling the heart it does no good for a person to have the appearance of godliness.

[orix_bluewave · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a story in the society of puritan.A woman is punished because of the crime of adultery.But she won't say who has she sexed.I think this book ask us what the row and forgive of the god should be.

[zumbanista · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

First time reading this verified American classic tale. While short, I found it very ponderous and uneven. The Introductory sketch of the Customs House was very long winded and fell far short of being interesting. My appetite picked up as we started into the well known story of Hester and the Scarlett Letter "A". Most of the book was overwritten and flowery for my taste, but I do acknowledge passages of brilliant prose and a mystically gothic ambiance. There were a lot of diversions and descriptions of forests, brooks, and the town along the way. Not the most enjoyable read for me.

[jbarringer-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It is always a bit disturbing reading books like this one that remind one of just how easy it could be for our modern, somewhat enlightened society to devolve into the brutish, closed-minded world our ancestors knew.

[mdtwilighter · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the story of Hester Prynne, a woman who came over to Boston in it's infancy waiting for her husband to follow her from Europe. However, her life changes forever when she becomes pregnant long before her husband reaches the new world. In the strict Puritan world of 17th century Boston Hester must be punished. The town leaders decide to make her wear a scarlet letter A on her clothing, so that everyone will know her crime. The book looked at the religious aspects of that time and painted a vivid picture of life back then. I enjoyed the author's style of narration, Hawthorne writes like he is in the audience with the reader. Maybe a bit predictable, but definitely worth the read. It's an iconic classic that deserves to be.

[melsteam · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Passionate in pain- passionate in love; this is a story of people's reactions to mistakes not only regarding themselves but from the scornful, isolating behaviors of others.

[schasteen_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I rated The Scarlet Letter 5 stars because it is a classic novel. This story is one that numerous people know and can retell. Several people that I know had to read this as required reading because this book is a staple in literature. Classroom applications could be used with this book by having a "red a day" where every student has to wear a red a on their chest to see what Hester felt like when she had to wear the A. Students can also have a class discussion on their feelings on the topics and the time period of the novel.

[bzedan_2 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

So, like everybody, I had to read this in high school. I remember being not that impressed. But on a re-read, totally diggin' it. And it did not end half as sad and horrible and vengeful as I thought. I had it in my head that what's-his-creepo, the doctor, like, stalked Pearl and shit when she was a teen and tried to do her or something. Interestingly, folks I work with also remembered (different) negative endings as well—not the real ending, which isn't sunshine and rainbows, but is kind of a complete and serene one.

[soonercatholic · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Setting: The theme of sin and hypocrisy is set in a small New England town during the Puritan Era.Plot: Hester Prynne sets out to make reparation for her sin while the town seeks the father of her baby.Characters: Hester Prynne (protagonist)- scarlet letter, not sorry; Rev. Dimmesdale- hides guilt, dies of it; Roger Chillingsworth (antagonist) Hester's husband, persecutes the Rev.; Pearl- Hester's daughter, not real without familySymbols: the scarlet letter, the rose, the forestCharacteristics: example of Romanticism, first novel to have woman protagonistMy Thoughts: I enjoyed reading it through, I disagree with Hester's lack of contrition.

[megwesley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was lucky in the fact that I was never forced to read the Scarlet Letter in school. I have heard about it and I recognize the allusions made to it during Easy A and Arthur with his scarlet letter "K"(to brand him a most unseemly knitter). So, I broke down and read it.The plot is simple: a woman is marked as an adulteress with a scarlet A and this is what happens next. That simple plot is what kept me reading until I got to the juicy part of the book. The revelation that Hester's husband isn't dead and he is out searching for her lover. There are clues out there to identify the lover but it isn't really stated until you are a good 75% way through the book. By then, you are already swept up in the story and keep reading because you want to know what happens next.The beginning of the book is a little dull, but keep pushing through it because hidden in the pages of the book is a delightful and intriguing story about the repercussions of one woman's love. 4.5 stars.

[cathyoneill · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I think this is a lucious book of symbolism, surpassed only in my mind by "The Grapes of Wrath."

[wanderlust_lost · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book when I read it in high school beacause I loved the premise, the plot, and the setting. I, however, found it, like any teenager would I think, a bit dry and very heavily written at times. It's a great story and I felt that its weight let it down. I can appreciate it more now, however, for the gem that it is and I find that the heavy writing (typical of Hawthorne) actually contributes a lot to the sense of time and place that the book exudes. I'd recommend this book to anyone, but I'd recommend you read it twice to really appreciate it.

[danconsiglio · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Here's another book that I really wish I had read when I was in high school. Some of the American cannon is actually pretty kick ass stuff! 'The Scarlet Letter' is an exploration of some of the moral foundations of this country that gets into the gender and sexual politics that make up much of our cultural interactions. It has some freakin' awesome transformative moments and one of the best climaxes that I've read in a while. If it wasn't known for being one of those dusty books that everyone has read and no one actually likes, I would have totally read this earlier in life. I'm glad I hunkered down and gave it a shot anyway. Good stuff!

[jenniferrobb · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was required reading for English class. Now that I think about it--it does seem odd that a school would have us reading about a woman being punished for adultery--well, the adultery part in a school book seems odd--though if they were going to have us read about adultery, I don't find it so odd that they would have it be this book. I remember our teacher saying "if you're reading the Cliff Notes, you already know who the baby's father is"--and it was true! The Cliff Notes did reveal the baby's father long before the book did. (But I won't reveal who it was here to avoid any spoilers.)

[darzzled · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Despite its age, the Scarlet Letter is an excellent exploration of morality, religion and hypocrisy in a setting that's obsessed with morals. If you're not the kind of person who likes the sometimes over-written style of 19th century novels, you'll probably lose Hawthorne's message in the language but it's well worth the read and shows surprisingly modern thinking for such an old book.

[pennma05-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Well, where do I start... I just finished it moments ago and am still a little baffled as to why I wanted to read this book. Granted it is on my Gilmore Girls Book Challenge and Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list but.... I just don't know. I have to say I was mostly bored by this book. I'm normally pretty interested in Puritanical life in the New World but this just didn't catch my fancy. Finally towards the end when the Reverend was finally stepping up I thought it would get good but nooooooooooo. I won't say any more, spoilers and all that, but man oh man am I glad that book is over.

[jewel.barnett · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read this book in high school. I should probably read more of N.H.'s books. This is a captivating read and rings so true even today.
Great book!

[es135_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this classic tale of adultery, Hawthorne presents sympathetic characters and a story that rings true today. The language, as in most classic novels, can sometimes be hard to understand, but the story should resonate with modern audiences nonetheless.

[stipe168 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

yawwwn, shutup hester. not hester.. shutup nathaniel.

[missclark_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I can't say I liked it, but it was an interesting study on sin and guilt and how they work on the psyche. Props where they are due and Nathaniel Hawthorne gets one for that.

[herschelian · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

'The Scarlet Letter' became a classic from the day it was published in 1850. This is a story of the sin of adultery and its consequences in the lives of the four main characters and the community in which they live. Set in Puritan New England during the c17th, it is a compelling tale of human frailty and sorrow and an indictment of harsh religious intransigence. Hawthorne's prose is so beautiful that this book is truly a work of art.

[rosenstern · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While I enjoyed reading Hawthorne's commentary on the corrupt and illogical behavior of Puritan Americans, I thoroughly disliked his syntax. It was a laborious task to read a page. Once again, I agree with all his themes. I just wish he had written it better.

[bell7_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Hester Prynne commits adultery in the Puritan town of Salem, where the community punishes her with wearing a letter "A" and with ostracism.Hawthorne's classic is, of course, one of those books that doesn't really need a summary, as most American high school students have to read it sometime in their academic careers. Its archaic language and long-winded intrusive narrator make it difficult to read for fun and pleasure. Its themes of guilt, punishment, ostracism, and false piety make it rich when a good teacher can tease out the narrative. When I reread The Scarlet Letter alongside a high school student, I found myself ready to highlight passages and delve back into the investigative, analytical mode of an English major. While not one of the classics I would return to again and again for just the sheer pleasure of the story, I can see why it's become a staple of the classroom, even as I pity the poor high school students that have to struggle through it.

[cranmergirl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Sad to say, I did not particularly enjoy this well-known classic. The story and symbolism were interesting but actually trudging through the book was oh so tedious! One thing I did like was the old English spoken by the characters. All in all, I would have preferred a much condensed version of this book.

[babs605 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I know it's a "classic", but I thought it was only average.

[lit13_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An extremely well-written book about the tensions that rock a small puritan town. Though it may not be to everyone's taste, it is a definite must-read for any fan of the classics.