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The Scarlet Letter

by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Thomas E. Connolly (Annotations), Nina Baym (Introduction)

3.3 of 5 stars 3.30 · rating details · 282,689 ratings · 6,526 reviews

Set in the harsh Puritan community of seventeenth-century Boston, this tale of an adulterous entanglement that results in an illegitimate birth reveals Nathaniel Hawthorne's concerns with the tension between the public and the private selves. Publicly disgraced and ostracized, Hester Prynne draws on her inner strength and certainty of spirit to emerge as the first true her...more

Paperback, Penguin Classics, 228 pages

Published December 31st 2002 by Penguin Books Ltd (first published 1850)

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Jun 27, 2009 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Hester walked across the room. She stepped upon her left foot, her right foot, and then her left foot again. One wonders, why doth she, in this instance of walking across the room, begin her journey upon the left foot and not the right? Could it be her terrible sin, that the devil informeth the left foot just as he informeth the left hand and those bewitched, left-handed persons amongst us? Why, forsooth, doth the left foot of sin draggeth the innocent right foot along its wretched journey from...more

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Oct 17, 2007 Johntaylor1973 rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Marquis deSade

I found my old high school review of this book. Here's a little bit of my assessment. Apologiese in advance:

If there is a hell, Hawthorne is the devil's sidekick, and the first thing you're given (after the stark realization that you're in hell, on fire, and this is going to last forever) is this book. And you have to do a 10 page paper praising the wondrous virtues of this massive waste of time. And after you've finished writing (in your own blood, mind you) your stupid paper, you are given an...more

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Feb 18, 2011 Kat Kennedy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: kat-s-book-reviews

Modern society and a number of people seem somewhat confused about our ancestors. On one hand, they're dumbass peasants who attached BYOW (Bring Your Own Witch) to their barbeque invitations. On the other hand, they sometimes imbue them with super mystical intelligence, class and abilities whilst bemoaning how stupid and uncouth we have become in comparison.

The Scarlet Letter allows us to judge that the reality was somewhere in between but mostly sitting on the side of pathological stupidity.

And...more

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Kailia Having read this book two years ago, in the 10th grade, I can tell you that I hated it. So muvh that I didn't even finish it until class discussion be...more
Apr 11, 2013 05:50pm

Danielle Hawthorne also had some pretty big Did Not Do the Research moments with the Puritans. I'm not saying they were all about sunshine and posies, or that...more
Apr 11, 2013 10:56pm

Aug 18, 2012 Emily May rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Emily May by: 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

Shelves: classics, historical-fiction, 2012, 1001-read

So I finally got to find out for myself what the majority of American high-schoolers are subjected to, and while I see the importance of a story like this and the ideas it presents in 1850, I think the subject matter is both outdated and irrelevant today. One might, of course, choose to point out that Hester Prynne's antics would still today be considered immoral in certain parts of the world, however the difference is that they probably wouldn't treat her so leniently as this seventeenth-centur...more So I finally got to find out for myself what the majority of American high-schoolers are subjected to, and while I see the importance of a story like this and the ideas it presents in 1850, I think the subject matter is both outdated and irrelevant today. One might, of course, choose to point out that Hester Prynne's antics would still today be considered immoral in certain parts of the world, however the difference is that they probably wouldn't treat her so leniently as this seventeenth-century puritan community in Boston did. Therefore, it is neither applicable nor particularly shocking. The most surprising thing was that she didn't get hung for her "crime" in the 1600s - a time when people were attached to boulders, thrown in a lake, and if they drowned they were innocent, and if they survived they were burnt as witches.

I think the main problem for me is that a lot of The Scarlet Letter relies on the religious aspect instead of the social aspect. It's much harder to appreciate the tragedy of that blemish on Hester's soul when you're not religious. I expected a lot more ostracising and name-calling from other members of the community but most people talked to Hester like she'd done nothing wrong (though, they tended to stare at her scarlet letter) and her bad reputation didn't seem to affect her life massively. Like I said, Hester Prynne's real struggle was with how God saw her and if she could be forgiven in the afterlife.

In fact, it didn't seem to me like much of the main story was about the scarlet letter attached to her bosom. If you don't know the story, basically Hester Prynne commits adultery that results in the birth of an illegitimate child, the ministers then rule that she should be forced to wear a scarlet letter 'A' for the rest of her life so she will be publicly shamed. This is at the beginning in the first couple of chapters. After that, the story is about finding out the identity of the father (no mystery at all), interactions between Hester and her husband, and the growth of Hester's illegitimate and really annoying child.

The greatest strength of The Scarlet Letter is that it gives us Hester - one of the early strong female protagonists. She is far more feisty and willing to stand up for herself than most Austen (for one example) characters, but she also lacks the depth of personality that other nineteenth-century female creations have. But, beyond the scandal, I'm just not sure this book is worthy of its popularity. I had a look on sparknotes to try and see why the novel earned its masterpiece badge, and many of the techniques and themes explored are such as the use of night and day to be symbolic and the choice of names:

"Chillingworth is cold and inhuman and thus brings a “chill” to Hester’s and Dimmesdale’s lives. “Prynne” rhymes with “sin,” while “Dimmesdale” suggests “dimness”—weakness, indeterminacy, lack of insight, and lack of will, all of which characterize the young minister. The name “Pearl” evokes a biblical allegorical device—the “pearl of great price” that is salvation."

If it is this kind of small attention to details that makes a story so brilliant for you, then you might just love The Scarlet Letter. But I prefer something bigger, that moves or inspires or angers me. I don't want to have to analyse a text to discover how great it is, partly because I believe you can see symbolism in anything if you look hard enough (see: Shakespeare). It's not that I mind this nitty-gritty stuff being there, but I think it's a poor substitute for well-developed characters and plot.

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Jun 09, 2011 Pete rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, books-i-drew-schlongs-in

It's great to finally get back to the classics. It's been far too long since I read a book with careful intensity, noting throwaway lines that are likely to show up on a multiple choice or short answer test that misses the main themes of a book entirely while managing to ask lots of questions like, "In the fourth chapter, what kind of shoes was [character you don't even remember] wearing?"

I was thinking maybe it would be nice to read a book like this without worrying about that stuff, just absor...more

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Sep 28, 2011 Melissa Rudder rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: teach-it

This was my third time reading The Scarlet Letter. The first time was during my junior year of high school. I actually enjoyed it, though literature of the nineteenth century was such a mystery to me then that I shied away from the creaky long words and felt proud of myself for succeeding in merely following the plot. When I first read it to teach it last year, I was enraptured. This year was the same. Hawthorne has such an impressive command over language. The eloquence of his language carries...more This was my third time reading The Scarlet Letter. The first time was during my junior year of high school. I actually enjoyed it, though literature of the nineteenth century was such a mystery to me then that I shied away from the creaky long words and felt proud of myself for succeeding in merely following the plot. When I first read it to teach it last year, I was enraptured. This year was the same. Hawthorne has such an impressive command over language. The eloquence of his language carries such depth that it's like reading poetry. I find myself underlining multiple sections on every page, wishing I had months to spend teaching the book, just so I could spend hours with my classes exploring the complex meaning and patterns unfolding in his language. (My students probably wouldn't find it as fun as I would, I betcha.)

Reading the soap-opera-like plot is a guilty pleasure. Possibly because I'm accustomed to the quiet romance of nineteenth century novels, I find the love scene(s?) between Hester and her secret lover touching and sweet (I think I cried this time through when they were in the woods), where most people apparently find them stale and unrealistic. Even though the plot hinges on scandals and secrets, the novel is very much an exploration of human interior and motives, and I think Hawthorne creates very interesting characters. I love that, though Hester conforms to the austerity of her penance on the outside, Hawthorne occasionally affords the reader insights into her wild, turbulent, and rebellious interior. And I love Pearl. Oh, that silly little imp of evil.

I really enjoy Hawthorne's use of symbolism throughout the novel--the letter, Pearl, the rosebush, weeds, leeches, light, darkness, the scaffold, Hester's hair, etc. I don't know if all the symbolism is super obvious or if it now seems super obvious because I shove it down my students' throats, but it is admittedly gratifying catching patterns and reaching conclusions that Hawthorne repeatedly supports throughout the book. It just makes my ego feel good.

Next time I read The Scarlet Letter, I want to focus on the use of bird imagery to describe Pearl and on how Hawthorne's Romantic view of Nature and nineteenth century perception of women informs his interpretation/critique of Puritanism, a less "developed" American landscape, and Hester.

I really like The Scarlet Letter. It may be on my top ten. But I think if I ever sat down to write my top ten, it would have about forty books in it. Nevertheless, based on my interest in The Scarlet Letter, I'm seriously considering rereading The House of Seven Gables, which, after being forced to read it before my freshman year of high school, is my most hated book ever. I have a feeling I might like it more now than when I was 12.

(This review was from 2007. I've now read it several more times. It never gets old.)(less)

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Jun 30, 2008 Heather Lei rated it 1 of 5 stars

The story, not bad. The style, unreadable.

Here is who I would recommend this book to - people who like sentences with 4 or 5 thoughts, and that are paragraph length - so that they are nearly impossible to understand - because by the time the end, of the sentence, has been reached the beginning, and whatever meaning it contained, has been forgotten and the point is lost.

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Jul 09, 2012 Jason rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Lovers of good, wordy prose, and symbolism

Recommended to Jason by: A friend and my 11th grade English teacher

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. You know, I really wish there were half stars in the Goodreads rating scale. I've bounced back and forth between 3 and 4 stars for this one about a half dozen times. It really gets a 3.5 rating from me. The story itself gets a 3, but the phrasing is so enjoyable at times that I want to give it a bonus. Since you're supposed to round up at .5 in math, my rating will show 4 stars, though this book doesn't really deserve the whole extra hog. Anyway, enough of that. On with the review!

I was supposed...more

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Apr 15, 2012 K.D. Oliveros rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to K.D. by: 501 Must Read Books, 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

Shelves: 1001-core, 501, drama, saddest

My second book read that was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) who was said to be the "Shakespeare of the American Literature."

Whoa. I only read one book of Shakespeare but I have an idea of the others. I hope it is not only the use of "thee" and "thou" that lead to the comparison. For me, this book The Scarlet Letter is also theatrical and dramatic. For example, the opening scene where the adulterer and the main female protagonist of this book, Hester Prynne is on the scaffold (stage)...more My second book read that was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) who was said to be the "Shakespeare of the American Literature."

Whoa. I only read one book of Shakespeare but I have an idea of the others. I hope it is not only the use of "thee" and "thou" that lead to the comparison. For me, this book The Scarlet Letter is also theatrical and dramatic. For example, the opening scene where the adulterer and the main female protagonist of this book, Hester Prynne is on the scaffold (stage) holding her baby, Pearl and wearing the scarlet letter "A" on her bosom is like Hamlet talking to his dead (ghost) father. The public shaming, where it is announced to everyone that Hester is an adulterer and the mother and child should be ostracized is mind-boggling. It gave me goosebumps similar to the feeling when Hamlet is talking to his ghost father.

Imagine being ridiculed for sleeping with a man (and having a child) not to be your lawful husband? Of course, this was the practice by the Puritans when they fled to Boston from England during the 17th century and they were very strict on morals. I am glad that the Philippines is not ruled by Puritans. Otherwise, many people will have to wear that scarlet letter. Maybe it could also appear on my bare chest someday!

Oh well, that part was not properly explained by Hawthorne, right? How it came to be on the bare chest of Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale. But for me, though that was a bit immaterial (being the redemption to be the main dish), Hawthorne should have made some hints. For a heart-tugging story, it would have been better if that part is explained and not left hanging.

Overall, this story is sad. The hypocrisy that runs underneath the facade of the characters to the outside world. The wronged lover. The agony of being shamed. The man who because of his vow has to hide under his habit. The innocent child that suffers most. The sky that cries when Hester cries and shines his blissful rays to bless her and her child.

Glorious writing. Good use of symbolism. Gothic. Dark. Sad. Mysterious. Interesting backdrop that I had to Google who were these Puritans and almost bought a book about John Winthrop (but resisted since I have too many books already in my tbr). Juicy strip-teasing just enough to keep me from keeping turning the pages.

I liked this book! I wondered for a minute there how come it took me so long to crack this book open. Then I remembered that hey, I had a book buddy, Maria.

Thanks, Maria for being my reading buddy for this book!(less)

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Nov 04, 2007 Katherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: underrated

Yes, yes, I know, everyone hates The Scarlet Letter.

But I've got a special fondness for it. When I was in tenth grade, our English teacher gave us a list of topics to choose from for our Scarlet Letter Essay. Discuss the changing role of women, analyze the symbolism of the forest, etc. This was the first time I'd been asked for literary criticism.

So I was flipping back through the book and writing down examples, cataloging any appearance or reference to anything supernatural, and trying to figur...more

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Sep 12, 2008 Yumi rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-taught-this, why-wont-this-book-end

oh god.

hawthorne is that perpetually needy manchild of a writer, you know the one who peers over your shoulder while youre trying to read and keeps pointing out the parts of his own writing that he finds particularly good and/or moving.

"yeah, see? do you see? see how i talked about how the rose is red, and then i talk about how hesters 'a' is red, too? do you see what im trying to do here, with the symbolism?"

and its like that all the way through the book.

*edit 12 september 2008: im tutoring...more

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May 07, 2008 Werner rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Any reader who doesn't mind 19th-century diction

Shelves: classics, historical-fiction, books-i-own

Actually, I've read this book twice, the first time when I was in high school. Reading it again after some thirty years, I was amazed at the amount of meaning I'd missed the first time!

Most modern readers don't realize (and certainly aren't taught in school) that Hawthorne --as his fiction, essays and journals make clear-- was a strong Christian, though he steadfastly refused to join a denomination; and here his central subject is the central subject of the Christian gospel: sin's guilt and forg...more

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Sep 14, 2010 Eddie Watkins rated it 4 of 5 stars

THIS BOOK IS ABOUT A PREECHERS SPERM IT HAS UPTIGHT PEOPLE IN IT

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Dec 22, 2010 Ben Loory rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

okay, so shoot me, i never read this before. well, i tried a couple times, in high school and college, but the opening part, the introduction about the custom-house, was always so incredibly boring i could never get past it. so this time, i got past it, and now all i have to say is: why the fuck is that custom-house thing there in the beginning?? (although the part where he finds the letter is nice.)

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Feb 11, 2010 Cami rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, classics, historic-fiction

I am a big fan of the Neverending Book Quiz.
It was through this amusing game that I came to see that I have totally missed including one of my favorite books The Scarlet Letter in my list of the books I've read.

This book of symbols, heartache, growth and the ultimate evil adversary opened my eyes (at 16, mind you) to how amazing and multilayered good literature could be.

I'm grateful for an English teacher that unfolded the depth of this book to her students. It was obvious that she loved this b...more

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Aug 21, 2011 Petra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Awesome. I never read Hawthorne before and find his writing style a bit convoluted, with many ideas in one sentence, which slowed down my reading. However, this also improved my appreciation for the language and depth of this story.
Themes: love, hate, revenge, hidden sin, open sin, forgiveness, guilt.
Which gives the Sinner the best chances of redemption: open sin, which is publically observed and punished or hidden sin, which one keeps in one’s soul and suffers alone without any chance of forg...more

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Jul 16, 2008 Rylan McQuade rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great book. Some false slandering of the Puritans.

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Jan 16, 2008 Faith-Anne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-favorites, classical-literature, nathaniel-hawthorne, 2008

Heartbreaking & moving. I first read this in 11th grade & it did nothing for me. I recently reread it & found myself in love. If you don't enjoy the novel when you're young, try it again in a few years. You'll be surprised how much better the book has gotten & how much you'll grow in the process of rereading it!

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Apr 07, 2013 Rhayna Kramer rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Scarlet Letter is set in the Puritan era, where the church and state boundary has not yet been implemented, thrusting the rigid order of the holier-than-thou ministers and magistrates upon society, and one woman's sin the target of harsh public scrutiny. She must suffer the repercussions of such a sin and rely on her inner strength and endurance to promote individualism over the collective, ruthless mind of the public.

As a whole, I was really enthralled by the portrayal of civil society in t...more

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Mar 20, 2009 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: antihero, classic, colonial-america, favorites, required-reading

Another required read that took me by surprise at how much I enjoyed it. This is a book that delves into the consequences of guilt on a person's psyche. It is very layered in that there are times where you are not sure that what happens is exactly what is perceived. No exactly surreal but written so that there is a little bit of question about supernatural things happening. Such as did Dimmesdale really have that scarlet A branded on his chest from the power of the overwhelming guilt he carried?...more

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Dec 30, 2008 Jee Koh rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Of Fatality

To be perfectly honest, I would not have stuck with The Scarlet Letter if it is not reckoned generally to be an American classic. The action is reduced to sketches (typical chapter titles are "The Prison-Door," "The Interior of a Heart," and "Hester and the Physician"), the characters are predictable and unsympathetic, the psychology of hidden guilt is coarsened into symbolism. As for the style, the attendant on the my flight into London hit it on the head, Hawthorne takes fifty words...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Cate rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 9th-grade, wow-this-book-sucked

The Scarlet Letter: THE WORST book I've had to read so far. I can't believe Ive actually finished this.
No, Nathaniel, it was not necessary to describe every single leaf on every single tree. you did NOT need talk about every single breeze that blew through the stupid village of those dumbass Puritains. Hawthorne, I will never read any more of your writings. EVER. I hate Puritains.

seriously, I think I would rather read Twilight.

I was falling asleep while reading this. awful, awful.

I might be...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Kristin Arens rated it 4 of 5 stars

The author's style of writing greatly varied from any that I have previously encountered. In such, that dialogue wasn't used much at all until the very end of the story. He more described what the characters had gone through, and once he finished, he would skip forward a few months and go through it again. I felt the story moved a bit slow toward the beginning, but once the action started, it hit full force and continued throughout. Everything in this book was constantly changing. The personalit...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Sara added it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Scarlet Letter is set in a time when adultery was a highly punishable crime. The book revolves around the experience of one woman who is doomed to wear a scarlet letter A embroidered on all of her clothing when she is found guilty of adultery. The crime becomes quite obvious when she becomes pregnant with a baby that is not her husband's child.

The book becomes more interesting as the reader understands the consequences of Hester Prynne's crime. Not only must she wear the letter, but she is...more The Scarlet Letter is set in a time when adultery was a highly punishable crime. The book revolves around the experience of one woman who is doomed to wear a scarlet letter A embroidered on all of her clothing when she is found guilty of adultery. The crime becomes quite obvious when she becomes pregnant with a baby that is not her husband's child.

The book becomes more interesting as the reader understands the consequences of Hester Prynne's crime. Not only must she wear the letter, but she is neglected and outcasted by the people of her town. She has no friends and no family (besides the newborn baby) so she lives mostly alone. But people begin to wonder about the man who helped her commit the crime. No matter what the town threatens, Hester does not reveal the identity of the man. It is not until the end of the book that the reader discovers that it is a character they have known all along. It is vaguely hinted at throughout the book, but in the end he reveals in to everybody after 7 years of keeping the secret. With his dying breath he admits to his sin and begs for forgiveness. He has a tragic but relieving ending to his lonely life.
Hester does not learn much throughout the story except how to deal with the life she chose. She learns how to be a mother, even when it is a constant reminder of the crime and sin she has committed. The reverend, and father of the baby, learns how to deal with the shame and guilt he holds from letting Hester suffer the punishments alone. Together they discover that love can last through and overcome any obstacles that life presents them with.

I recommend the book to anybody who does not mind sitting through pages of descriptive language. The descriptions in the book are beautiful and create pictures in the readers head throughout every chapter. It is a love story, and a story of passion, so romantic readers would also find it enjoyable. It is written in an older style of English, but it is still understandable if the reader is willing to take the time to really think about what the author is tryign to say. (less)

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May 23, 2013 Mari rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: esimio-sconosciuto-challenge

L'amore, sia quando nasce, sia quando si desta da un letargo che è sembrato mortale, riempie il cuore di una luce che si riflette sul mondo circostante.

Una gran delusione questo libro. Non per lo stile linguistico, che anzi ho trovato molto scorrevole anche se scritto nel 1850, ma per i personaggi e la trama un po' troppo scarna. Forse il film (che oltretutto non è un capolavoro) mi ha fuorviato ma non ho trovato un briciolo di passione da nessuna parte. Mi aspettavo una Hester Prynne più comba...more

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Oct 05, 2011 Ellen Landis rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. In the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne the story took place in a small colony in Massachusetts Bay in the 1700's The story starts out at the main character, Hester Prynne coming out of the prison already convicted of adultery. Her daughter, pearl is already 3 months old. As she came out of the prison she already had the scarlet letter embroidered on her chest for every colonist to gawk at. Then they take her to the pillory of course in front of colonist. She has to stand there wh...more In the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne the story took place in a small colony in Massachusetts Bay in the 1700's The story starts out at the main character, Hester Prynne coming out of the prison already convicted of adultery. Her daughter, pearl is already 3 months old. As she came out of the prison she already had the scarlet letter embroidered on her chest for every colonist to gawk at. Then they take her to the pillory of course in front of colonist. She has to stand there while everyone just looked. When she scanned over the crowd she saw her husband who had come over from England. He shows her a signal to keep his identity a secret. The Reverend tried to get the name of who the illegitimate infants father was Hester refused. After that Hester returns to her cell in the prison to finish her time there. Then her husband comes in to talk to her, he disguised himself as a doctor. He forgave her for her wrongdoing but told her she mustn’t tell anyone who he was. He made a faux name for himself, Rodger Chillingworth. He makes his identity a real doctor since he is educated well in that area. Hester heard rumors about that the governor was going to take away her beloved Pearl. She took Pearl to the governor, she appealed the idea. Then Reverend Dimmesdale becomes sick so they set Rodger as his doctor. After a while they make them move In together. Soon the colonist think that DImmesdale is a bad influence on the doctor. Chillingworth begins to suspect the reverend is the father of pearl and guilt is what is killing him. When the reverend was asleep the doctor observed him and found a mark on his chest and found what he thought was correct. The colonist decided that Hester had done enough good deeds and forgave her. One night Pearl and Hester come across Dimmesdale at the pillory trying the punish himself. Pearl ask the reverend to reveal the secret the next day and he refused, then a meteor shot across the sky revealing an A. Then pearl tells him to meet her at the forest. There they decide to move to Europe with them two and Pearl to be a real family. Feeling safe, Hester removes the scarlet letter. Chillingworth finds out about their plan and booked to ride along with them. The day before their new life begins Dimmesdale see’s Pearl and Hester at the pillory and gets up there with them. He confesses to the public and shows the coonists the letter A carved into his chest then,he falls dead. Hester and Pearl retreated from their home colony. Chillingworth died a year later because the guilt from his torture. Years later after Pearl got married, Hester returns to her home town and she wore her A on her chest. When she died she was buried next to Dimmesdale both having A’s on their tombstone. I absolutely loved this book I recommended to everyone it is an amazing story!!(less)

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Feb 20, 2011 Elliot rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ap-literature-2010-11

Hawthorne truly interests me. The Scarlet Letter contains two of the most tragic figures of American literature -- Arthur Dimmesdale, driven to lock himself in society's cage after a single terrible transgression; Hester Prynne, who seems to rise above the public scorn in her thoughts, yet who still remains trapped in Puritan Boston, buried next to her cowardly lover, unable to be the prophetess for a novus ordo seclorum.

It is perhaps ultimately a story of comformity, and the frustrating paradox...more Hawthorne truly interests me. The Scarlet Letter contains two of the most tragic figures of American literature -- Arthur Dimmesdale, driven to lock himself in society's cage after a single terrible transgression; Hester Prynne, who seems to rise above the public scorn in her thoughts, yet who still remains trapped in Puritan Boston, buried next to her cowardly lover, unable to be the prophetess for a novus ordo seclorum.

It is perhaps ultimately a story of comformity, and the frustrating paradox of a woman who seems to rightfully transcend her surroundings, yet who, apparently rightfully, cannot escape them or change them. Were it not for Pearl's glorious future, one could describe The Scarlet Letter as a wholly depressing novel. In fact, given the relative cheapness and deus ex machina tackiness of Pearl's sudden happy ending, I'm inclined to conclude such... It almost seems as an afterthought, although Pearl's entire existence throughout the novel awkwardly straddles the line between character and symbol... The quagmire leaves me extremely curious about Hawthorne's perspective on one's ability to separate oneself from one's society (especially since, as revealed in The Custom House, Hawthorne felt irrationally attached to Salem), so I'll probably investigate the author and his oeuvre more when I find the time.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel, and I think that, broadly, it is fascinating and well-developed. There are enough "big questions" on the nature of comformity, the contrast between public and private suffering, the conception of sin as a physical disease, the physical landscaping of isolation from society, the extent to which transgressions can fuel progress, etc. raised and, if closely inspected, answered (or answers are at least hinted at) to constitute three dozens of the type of analytical essay I'll be writing on the book over the next few days. What the ultimately lacks in polish and grace it makes up for in its magnetism and lovely tragedy.(less)

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May 30, 2013 Yani. S rated it 3 of 5 stars

Lo advierto desde ya: este no es un libro sobre el amor. Es un libro sobre el pecado y sus consecuencias corrosivas en las almas de los que sucumben a las tentaciones, visto desde un ángulo exageradamente puritano pero que concuerda con la época a la que el narrador nos lleva. Lo curioso es que Hawthorne no aportó al relato la parte que todos los lectores (me incluyo) deben haber esperado durante toda la novela. Nunca se van a enterar cómo se dieron las cosas porque, evidentemente, lo importante...more Lo advierto desde ya: este no es un libro sobre el amor. Es un libro sobre el pecado y sus consecuencias corrosivas en las almas de los que sucumben a las tentaciones, visto desde un ángulo exageradamente puritano pero que concuerda con la época a la que el narrador nos lleva. Lo curioso es que Hawthorne no aportó al relato la parte que todos los lectores (me incluyo) deben haber esperado durante toda la novela. Nunca se van a enterar cómo se dieron las cosas porque, evidentemente, lo importante está en los hechos posteriores.

Esta es la historia de Hester, una mujer que cometió adulterio (no es spoiler, tranquilos) y sale de la cárcel con una niña en brazos, Pearl. Muy elocuente. La letra escarlata es un retazo de tela que debe llevar de por vida como un recordatorio de la culpa, la principal causa de la reclusión social y casi, casi la protagonista del relato. Hay muchas referencias a esta letra durante toda la novela, pero las más interesantes son las que recaen en Pearl. Y lo interesante, a veces, es lo polémico o, al menos, lo que genera polémica en mí. No me gustó la manera en que Hawthorne construyó a este pequeño personaje. Yo no estoy diciendo que todos los niños son unos santitos, pero esa carga de determinismo biológico (que, paradójicamente, rozaba lo sobrenatural) por ser una hija concebida fuera del matrimonio, me pareció absurdo. Y me dio pena que cada aparición de la niña estuviera enmarcada por palabras como “maliciosa”, “odio”, “gritos”, etc. Increíblemente, Hester me cayó bien. Es un personaje femenino con defectos, virtudes y mucha fuerza.

La introducción de la novela es insoportable y bastante soporífera. Supuestamente, Hawthorne la había escrito para un volumen de cuentos que iba a incluir La letra escarlata e introduce una serie de personajes que, al final, no tenían nada que ver. Si aparece en sus ediciones, no la salteen, porque en el último tramo sí hay una conexión con la novela.

Esa introducción, las molestias que me causaron las descripciones de Pearl y la ausencia de profundidad en temas que no fueran sólo el pecado, la redención y la culpa (en un punto, todo se vuelve repetitivo), todo esto condimentado por un estilo lento y simbólico, son las culpables de la falta de 2 estrellas más en la calificación.
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Jul 11, 2011 Chiara Pagliochini rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classici-americani

“Siamo a Boston, colonia puritana, non molti anni dopo la sua fondazione. Hester Prynne, arrivata nel Nuovo Mondo prima del marito, ha una figlia fuori del matrimonio e viene condannata per adulterio a portare una A scarlatta ricamata sul petto. Nonostante l’insistenza dei magistrati, la donna rifiuta di rivelare il nome del suo amante e compagno di peccato e comincia a condurre una vita ritirata, additata dall’intera comunità come esempio di scandalo e di perdizione. Alla sua vicenda si intrecc...more “Siamo a Boston, colonia puritana, non molti anni dopo la sua fondazione. Hester Prynne, arrivata nel Nuovo Mondo prima del marito, ha una figlia fuori del matrimonio e viene condannata per adulterio a portare una A scarlatta ricamata sul petto. Nonostante l’insistenza dei magistrati, la donna rifiuta di rivelare il nome del suo amante e compagno di peccato e comincia a condurre una vita ritirata, additata dall’intera comunità come esempio di scandalo e di perdizione. Alla sua vicenda si intrecciano quelle di altri due personaggi, il marito Roger Prynne, che arriverà a Boston in incognito e farà della vendetta su moglie e amante il suo unico scopo di vita, e il giovane e pio reverendo Arthur Dimmesdale, roso da un terribile senso di colpa. I tre personaggi si sfidano su un terreno insidioso, dove sentimento, sacralità, provvidenza, punizione e rimorso la fanno da padroni e i valori dell’etica puritana regnano sovrani”.

La vicenda non è il crogiuolo di banalità che emerge dalla mia sintesi sommaria. Non credo che il romanzo possa ancora definirsi psicologico: se la cosa dipendesse da me, lo definirei “morale”, perché il suo centro consiste proprio in questo, nell’incastro e nella conciliazione dei vari codici morali che entrano in gioco: dall’orgogliosa sfrontatezza di Hester, indipendente, caparbia, profondamente moderna, alla fragilità del reverendo Dimmesdale. Proprio quest’ultimo appare, a mio parere, il personaggio più significativo della vicenda, tutta costruita - potremmo dire - sulla sfida per la conquista della sua anima, dilaniata da etiche diametralmente opposte, che lo costringono a sforzi fisici e psicologici immani. So che questa recensione sta venendo un pastrocchio, ma la trama del romanzo mi impone di non poter essere più esplicita, il che toglie alla figura di Dimmesdale tutta la sua bellezza.
In conclusione - sì, meglio concludere prima di devastare il tutto - ho trovato La lettera scarlatta insolitamente profetico. Molti potrebbero definirlo arretrato, giacché tutti gli elementi più ostici a noi “moderni” sono presenti: la demonizzazione della donna, le nozioni tanto demodé di Paradiso, Inferno, peccato e redenzione, l’ipocrisia sociale, la condanna del libero amore. Ma in fondo mi pare di sentire che Hawthorne voglia suggerire qualcos’altro, qualcosa di talmente importante che il suo messaggio fa capolino proprio nelle ultime pagine del libro, in cui Hester si interroga se sia possibile costruire una società su nuove basi, una società in cui l’uomo e la donna possano avere pari dignità ed esserne consapevoli. Non sarò io - dice Hester - la testimone di questa nuova corrente di pensiero, io non posso cambiare il mondo, io sono una donna che ha lottato e perso, ma verrà un giorno, verrà un giorno in cui il mondo sarà diverso. Il signor Hawthorne, pieno ottocento, aveva la vista lunga.(less)

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Sep 23, 2011 Meghan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, historical-fiction, read-for-school, romance, favorites, american-literature

*WARNING* Do not read this book if you are looking for a quick, easy, challenge-free, light, innocent story because this is NOT the book for you. Basically, this story is the exact opposite, it is a difficult, long, detailed, dark, slightly disturbing story of adultery, forbidden love, revenge, and innocence. Honestly, even though most of my friends who have read this book hated it to it's very core, I enjoyed it. Sure, I could only read it in certain moods when I was alone and it was quiet beca...more

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About Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne was a 19th century American novelist and short story writer. He is seen as a key figure in the development of American literature for his tales of the nation's colonial history.

Shortly after graduating from Bowdoin College, Hathorne changed his name to Hawthorne. Hawthorne anonymously published his first work, a novel titled Fanshawe, in 1828. In 1837, he published Twice-Told T...more

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