Project Gutenberg 1992-06-01 Public domain in the USA. 988 Hawthorne, Nathaniel 1804 1864 The Scarlet Letter There is an improved edition of this title, eBook #25344 Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scarlet_Letter Dartmouth College "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a novel written in the mid-19th century. The story is set in Puritan Massachusetts and revolves around the themes of sin, punishment, and societal judgment. The main character, Hester Prynne, finds herself at the center of a moral crisis after bearing an illegitimate child, a consequence for which she is publicly shamed and forced to wear a scarlet letter 'A' as a symbol of her shame. The opening of the novel presents the grim setting of a prison door in a Puritan community, where a crowd gathers to witness the punishment of Hester Prynne. Described is the somber atmosphere filled with townspeople, particularly women, eager to judge and condemn Hester. As she emerges from the prison with her infant, she clutches the child tightly, showcasing both her defiance and vulnerability. The letter ‘A’ on her dress becomes a focal point, representing the complex interplay of sin and identity within the constraints of rigid societal constructs. As readers are introduced to the town's harsh attitudes, they are invited to reflect on themes of guilt, isolation, and the human spirit as Hester navigates her new reality. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 64.4 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en Adultery -- Fiction Historical fiction Revenge -- Fiction Psychological fiction Married women -- Fiction Clergy -- Fiction Triangles (Interpersonal relations) -- Fiction Illegitimate children -- Fiction Women immigrants -- Fiction Puritans -- Fiction Boston (Mass.) -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -- Fiction PS Text Harvard Classics Movie Books Category: Novels Category: Classics of Literature Category: American Literature 530710 2025-07-01T03:42:03.107991 text/html 541921 2022-05-13T00:22:15 text/html 458101 2025-07-01T03:42:08.059016 application/epub+zip 458439 2025-07-01T03:42:03.766011 application/epub+zip 306697 2025-07-01T03:42:03.432018 application/epub+zip 582105 2025-07-01T03:42:12.150480 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 553311 2025-07-01T03:42:07.777007 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 402034 2022-09-01T03:47:47.697449 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 513776 2025-07-01T03:42:02.783996 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 513556 2022-05-13T00:22:34 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 21917 2025-07-01T03:42:12.279488 application/rdf+xml 17233 2025-07-01T03:42:03.527996 image/jpeg 2479 2025-07-01T03:42:03.479998 image/jpeg 199112 2022-05-13T00:23:36 application/octet-stream application/zip 592778 2022-05-13T00:23:58 application/octet-stream application/zip 592532 2025-07-01T03:42:03.155997 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia