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117th out of 1,148 books
—
7,381 voters
The Scarlet Letter and Other Writings
The text of The Scarlet Letter is based on the 1850 third edition, the first set in stereotype plates and the basis of subsequent printings in Hawthorne s lifetime. An invaluable selection of contextual material includes five Hawthorne stories that are closely related to The Scarlet Letter, along with relevant letters and notebook entries. A substantial excerpt from Hawtho...more
Paperback, 768 pages
Published
December 17th 2004
by W. W. Norton & Company
(first published September 30th 1970)
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I felt that this book was full of irony and confusion. Hester comes from this European country, with a so-called wonderful husband, and then she comes to America, all by herself, all alone. She ends up having an affair with a reverend! They end up having a child together,all the while Hester still has her husband back in Europe. It is always sad to read a story about someone committing adultry, knowing that it happens so much in real life. Hester was a little inspiring because she gained a littl...more
The Scarlet Letter is a classic book that keeps you on the edge on of your seat as the plot slowly unfolds into a dramatic tale of two lovers and their hidden secrets as they go about their daily lives. The setting takes place during the sevententh century with a little purtian society in Boston as we see the fight of a young adulterous woman Hester face the judgers in her town while trying to raise a feisty child (pearl) on her own in a isolated cabin on the edge of town life, all the while the...more
Jun 12, 2009
Suki
added it
The Scarlet Letter is about a woman accused of adultery and in the beginning she was led out of jail. The whole town knew about the Scarlet Letter A on her bosom and stood out to the town. She would use her child Pearl to cover the Scarlet Letter from the town and stand on top of the scaffold. Other characters like Chillingworth and Dimmesdale are in the story. Chillingworth was the man who came into the prison while Hester was still there. He helped Hester out because he gave her child medicine...more
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter has impacted the view of the American public for many years now and I can now finally say that it has shaped me as a writer. I did not read the book until recently and feel sad that that was the case because it is such an inspiring book. I absolutely love how all of the character are their own persons and yet grand metaphors in the views of Puritan society. As a writer I too want to be able to write characters that are not only their own being but also a...more
Once I took a Hawthorne class and I was hooked. Though I have not read all his short stories, all the novels I have and I've imagined them as being some of the best ever written. Maybe the stories themselves lack quicker plot/pace, but the writing is FLAWLESS. "Scarlet Letter", "House of the Seven Gables", "The Blithedale Romance" and "The Marble Faun" are all part of the literary canon because Mr. Hawthorne seems to touch upon very dark elements (sprites and devils... magical fauns... haunted h...more
As I said in one of my status updates of this book, I diddn't enjoy the first story, The Scarlet Letter. Maybe I could have enjoyed it, but I found it, I don't know, too dull. The characters' speeches looked like speeches and not like normal conversations. There's no real mystery in the story -- we understand pretty soon who shares Hester's sin with her. It just didn't hold my attention. Sometimes I picked up the book to read it, and would only read a very few pages because I was getting too bor...more
I truly wanted to love The Scarlet Letter, but as much as I tried, I couldn't. I am usually a fan of flowery language and imagery, but this was too over-the-top. Every chapter seemed to be one plot point mixed in among pages of fluff. That said, I found close-reading certain paragraphs to be intriguing and surprisingly revealing. I learned a lot that I otherwise would never have thought about - I appreciated the understanding goals that Ms. Selvin gave us, because they applied to the book in an...more
i think waiting to read this until college really made this better. for a laugh, compare the scene with hester and arthur in the woods to the scene in The Age of Innocence with ellen and whats-his-name in the met. and not just because i wrote a paper on it. good times!
I recently read this novel. I just listened to it gain this week.
How long do you suppose Rev. Dimmesdale and Hester knew each other? Did they by chance know of each other in England?
What happened that brought Dimmesdale to realize (at lest I think so) that he really wasn't going to leave with Hester but die instead and knew that he must show his hidden sin to all before he could die and be free?
What type of sin today would receive such condemnation within our community? Or within our religious...more
How long do you suppose Rev. Dimmesdale and Hester knew each other? Did they by chance know of each other in England?
What happened that brought Dimmesdale to realize (at lest I think so) that he really wasn't going to leave with Hester but die instead and knew that he must show his hidden sin to all before he could die and be free?
What type of sin today would receive such condemnation within our community? Or within our religious...more
This one was a little hard for me. I liked the story line but had a hard time wading through some of Hawthorne's writing (beautiful though it may be). There is a lot of meaning in this book and I am fond of Hester Pryne and her ability to cope with her label. I'm sure I only got half of what Hawthorne was trying to say but oh well. The book is short though so it's a good one to read if you want a classic.
First of all, I'm not sure why this novel is taught in American high school. The themes are far too complex for most high schoolers to understand, let alone emphathize. That is why there are generations of students who abhor this novel. Sadly, it is one of the greatest novels written, but so many people have been turned off by it because they encountered it too young. They will never get the chance to experience the beautifully structured sentences or be jostled around by the narrator's dueling...more
When I read this book in high school, I drudged bitterly through a couple meaningless symbols, wrote some half-hearted papers about "The question of morality," and shrugged off what I'd deemed a cliche, over-done little story.
Upon a re-introduction to the novel in college, I was confronted with, not Hawthorne's dramatic "social commentary," but his HUMOR!! I fell in love with the antics of the 'demon-child,' I laughed at Hester's subtle attitude, and I was generally just blown away by how much I...more
Upon a re-introduction to the novel in college, I was confronted with, not Hawthorne's dramatic "social commentary," but his HUMOR!! I fell in love with the antics of the 'demon-child,' I laughed at Hester's subtle attitude, and I was generally just blown away by how much I...more
Just had to read it for a history course and while the story itself was fine but ultimately uncompelling, Hawthorne's prose and his insight into the human condition was extraordinary. The opening prologue "The Custom-House", which had almost nothing to do with the main narrative, contained some of my favorite passages. I'm absolutely an acolyte.
I had re-read this (first time was 11th grade) for a college class maybe about a year ago, or almost a year ago. Couldn't get into it, and as short as it was, was rather a drag to get through, but does receive a higher rating from me than Wuthering Heights ever will. The characters all sound the same, that was one of my difficulties.
Pleasantly surprising! Originally, I picked up this book (school assignment, of course) thinking it would just be some psychological analysis of punishment and Puritan society, but it turned out to be a love story with interesting characters. It was very sad, though...there was no possibility of a happy future for Hester and Dimmesdale.
I did not read this in high school. Great teachers make all the difference. Instead, I took a class on Melville and Hawthorne in grad school under Dr. Lucy Freibert. Dr. Freibert made all of these works come alive by giving us the historical and social contexts for these works. And I read "Moby-Dick" in this same class.
This is a GORGEOUS novel. ARGH! I have to eat every comment I ever made about Hawthorne. He is a genius. I sort of hate myself for missing everything important about this novel the first time -- the beautiful love story, the strong protofeminist single mother Hester Prynne, and the tightly constructed web of symbolism. I am officially abashed, but happily so!
Den startede ud lidt kedeligt, man skulle vænne sig til sproget, og jeg havde også forventet at der ville ske noget andet, efter hvad jeg havde hørt om den, men da det først kom på plads blev den bare bedre og bedre.
historien var god, og selvom jeg havde hørt meget om bogen, blev jeg overrasket over hvordan den sluttede. den var overordnet set også let at komme igennem, der var steder hvor den måde den var skrevet på gjorde det svært at være begejstret for den, men det var ikke så mange steder a...more
historien var god, og selvom jeg havde hørt meget om bogen, blev jeg overrasket over hvordan den sluttede. den var overordnet set også let at komme igennem, der var steder hvor den måde den var skrevet på gjorde det svært at være begejstret for den, men det var ikke så mange steder a...more
I keep this book easily accessible as it is one to read and re-read. Although the story takes place long ago, the emotions, sentiment and themes of sin, knowledge, and social acceptance/rejection still thrive today. I highly recommend this novel as I believe everyone can relate to either Hester, Chillingworth, Dimmsdale, Pearl or the society that labels each of them.
i enjoyed this books a lot more then i thought i would. i went into reading this book thinking it was going to boar me to death but it didnt. After reading this book for a class i had in high school i went out and bought this book. i would suggest reading this book.
Many people see Nathaniel Hawthorne as a confusing and complicated writer. However, this novel answer many questions about what it means to remake oneself and provides insight into the internal thinkings of his characters. I loved it and completely recommend it!
Richly woven story of a a woman who commits adultery in the early American settlements while her husband is still in Europe, and is punished for it by her society. Her and her co-sinner's mental pains, debates and ramblings make up the main part of the book.
I think this book might do better were it not overplayed like a pop radio hit that's been running constantly for decades, and not used like the Bible to argue moral points the book itself might agree with, disagree with, or never have touched upon.
May 24, 2012
David Hicks
added it
A really good edition for teaching the Scarlet Letter. It has a handful of pertinent short stories (those with subjects referenced in, or relevant to, The Scarlet Letter), and some excellent historical/critical articles afterwards.
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Yes, Mr.Schultz made us read this, but when I read it again in college, I enjoyed it much more. Great book, Hawthorne has some descriptions that are breathtaking. The scene with the little girl in the woods is my favorite.
This book had a great story line. I would not recommend this to any one who is not older than a junior honors student. It was a tough read but for the most part good, some parts funny (if you read closely). :)
I never get tired of this story. The writing is a little dry sometimes and the symbolism can get a bit heavy-handed, but Hester Prynne is the original bad girl of American literature, and I love her for that.
Another awesome classic. So interesting to read and really helpful in providing a better understanding of the times and traditions with a bit of scandal and interest added.
well....let's see here is what I learned: avoid the Chillingsworth's of the world. They are the most terrifying people ever and especially don't marry one (that's a whole other subject), it's the coldnes--my English professor described Chillingworth's activities as "digging the finger that he pointed at her into her soul...penetrating everything and healing nothing"
Also, the letter that is assigned does not, in any way, describe us. We wear it with dignity, we change the meaning and we learn fro...more
Also, the letter that is assigned does not, in any way, describe us. We wear it with dignity, we change the meaning and we learn fro...more
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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
More about Nathaniel Hawthorne...
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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Nov 03, 2009 11:12am