Petik.net - If you are looking for a novel that explores the themes of legalism, guilt, and repentance in a historical setting, you might want to check out The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This novel is considered a masterpiece of American literature and a classic moral study.
In this article, we will give you a brief overview of the novel, its plot summary, its pros and cons, and where you can read it online for free.
Introduction
The Scarlet Letter is a novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1850. It tells the story of Hester Prynne, a young woman who conceives a daughter with a man to whom she is not married in the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony in the mid-17th century.
She is found guilty of adultery and must wear a scarlet A on her dress as a sign of shame and a symbol of her sin. The novel explores the consequences of her actions on herself, her child, her lover, and her society.
Novel Details:
- Title: The Scarlet Letter
- Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction
- Chapters: 24
- Language: English
- Publisher: GoodNovel
- Publication date: 1850
- Rating: 3.43 out of 5 stars on Goodreads1
- Awards: None
Synopsis
The novel begins with a long introduction that explains how the author came across the manuscript of the story in the customhouse of Salem, Massachusetts. He decides to write a fictional account of the events recorded in the manuscript. The story then shifts to the main narrative, which is set in Boston in 1642.
Hester Prynne is led from the prison to the scaffold, where she is publicly shamed for her adultery. She refuses to name the father of her child, Pearl, who is also present at the scene. Among the crowd, Hester recognizes her husband, who had been presumed lost at sea.
He adopts the name Roger Chillingworth and vows to find out and punish Hester's lover. He becomes a physician and moves in with Arthur Dimmesdale, the young and eloquent minister of Hester's church. Dimmesdale is revealed to be Hester's lover and Pearl's father, but he keeps his secret out of fear and guilt.
Follow us on
