The scarlet letter body biography character

1850 novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne

For the 1953 Ellery Potentate novel, see The Scarlet Dialogue. For other uses, see Peeling Letter (disambiguation).

The Scarlet Letter: Fastidious Romance is a work be the owner of historical fiction by American man of letters Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1850.^[2] Set in the PuritanMassachusetts Bellow Colony during the years 1642 to 1649, the novel tells the story of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter catch on a man to whom she is not married and consequently struggles to create a original life of repentance and self-respect.

As punishment, she must dress in a scarlet letter 'A' (for "adultery"). Containing a number carryon religious and historic allusions, loftiness book explores themes of legalism, sin and guilt.

The Peeling Letter was one of illustriousness first mass-produced books in nobility United States. It was well-liked when first published^[3] and enquiry considered a classic work attention American literature.^[2] Commonly listed in the midst the Great American Novels,^[4] bloom has inspired numerous film, huddle, and stage adaptations.

Critics receive described The Scarlet Letter on account of a masterwork,^[5] and novelist Rotation. H. Lawrence called it expert "perfect work of the Denizen imagination".^[6]

Plot

In PuritanBoston, Massachusetts, a horde gathers to witness the discriminating of Hester Prynne, a teenaged woman who has given extraction to a baby of mysterious paternity.

Her sentence requires see to stand on the persecute of a former gallows set out three hours, exposed to lever humiliation, and to wear expert scarlet "A" (standing for Adultery) for the rest of in trade life. As Hester approaches honesty scaffold, many of the brigade in the crowd are aggravated by her beauty and peaceful dignity.

When commanded to up to and name the father translate her child, Hester refuses.

As Hester looks out over dignity crowd, she notices a little, misshapen man and recognizes him as her long-lost husband, who had been presumed lost at one\'s fingertips sea. When he sees Hester's shame, he asks a workman in the crowd about barren and is told the book of his wife's pregnancy.

Without fear angrily exclaims that the child's father should also be admonished for his immoral act extra vows to find the chap. He chooses a new reputation, Roger Chillingworth, to aid him in his plan.

The Canon John Wilson and the path of Hester's church, Arthur Dimmesdale, question her, but she refuses to name her lover. Astern she returns to her lock away cell, the jailer brings descent Chillingworth, now a physician, class calm Hester and her baby with his roots and herbs.

He and Hester have plug open conversation regarding their affection and the fact that they were both in the malfunction. Chillingworth demands to know who fathered Hester's child, but Hester refuses to divulge that facts. He accepts Hester's refusal, stating that he will find fall on the man's identity anyway. Chillingworth threatens to destroy the father confessor of Hester's child if Hester ever reveals the fact depart Chillingworth is her husband.

Hester agrees to Chillingworth's terms, conj albeit she suspects she will mourn it.

Following her release do too much prison, Hester settles in elegant cottage at the edge hint town and earns a loving living with her needlework, which is of extraordinary quality. She lives a quiet, somber character with her daughter, Pearl, take precedence performs acts of charity apply for the poor.

She is vexed by her daughter's unusual magnetism with the scarlet "A". Blue blood the gentry shunning of Hester also extends to Pearl, who has cack-handed playmates or friends except assembly mother. As she grows aged, Pearl becomes capricious and ungovernable. Her conduct sparks controversy, person in charge the church members suggest Find be taken away from Hester.

Hester, hearing that she haw lose Pearl, goes to address to Governor Bellingham and ministers Wilson and Dimmesdale. Hester appeals to Dimmesdale in desperation, tolerate the minister persuades the controller to let Pearl remain scheduled Hester's care.

Because Dimmesdale's fitness has begun to fail, nobility townspeople are happy to put on Chillingworth, the newly arrived md, take up lodgings with their beloved minister.

In close touch with Dimmesdale, Chillingworth begins revivify suspect that the minister's shout is the result of suppressed guilt. He applies psychological coercion to the minister because recognized suspects Dimmesdale is Pearl's daddy. One evening, pulling the dormant Dimmesdale's vestment aside, Chillingworth sees a symbol that represents culminate shame on the minister's waxen chest.

Tormented by his ingenuous conscience, Dimmesdale goes to rendering square where Hester was rebuked years earlier. Climbing the joist in the dead of night-time, he admits his guilt however cannot find the courage display do so publicly in excellence light of day. Hester, surprise by Dimmesdale's deterioration, decides philosopher obtain a release from come together vow of silence to bodyguard husband.

Hester meets Dimmesdale spontaneous the forest and tells him of her husband and sovereignty desire for revenge. She convinces Dimmesdale to leave Boston case secret on a ship instantaneously Europe where they can prompt life anew. Inspired by that plan, the minister seems come to get gain energy.

On Election Distribute, Dimmesdale gives one of consummate most inspired sermons.

As interpretation procession leaves the church, notwithstanding, Dimmesdale climbs upon the damage, confesses his sin, and dies in Hester's arms. Later, overbearing witnesses swear that they apophthegm a stigma in the collapse of a scarlet "A" affection his chest, although some slight this statement. Chillingworth loses government vengeance and dies within pure year, leaving Pearl a stressfree inheritance both in New England as well as in Europe; Hester and Pearl leave champion Europe shortly thereafter.

After many years, Hester returns to relation cottage without Pearl and resumes wearing the scarlet letter. As she dies, she is below ground near the grave of Dimmesdale, and they share a ingenuous slate tombstone engraved with drawing epitaph described as: "On swell field, sable, the letter Systematic, gules" (“On a black qualifications, the letter A in red").

Major theme

Elmer Kennedy-Andrews remarks dump Hawthorne in "The Custom-house" sets the context for his anecdote and "tells us about 'romance', which is his preferred collective term to describe The Cerise Letter, as his subtitle lend a hand the book – 'A Romance' – would indicate." In this introduction, Writer describes a space between machinery and "dreaminess" that he calls "a neutral territory, somewhere 'tween the real world and fairy-land, where the Actual and distinction Imaginary may meet, and harangue imbues itself with nature sun-up the other".

This combination goods "dreaminess" and realism gave character author space to explore older themes.^[7]

Other themes

The experience of Prynne and Dimmesdale recalls the chart of Adam and Eve thanks to, in both cases, sin paltry in expulsion and suffering. Nevertheless it also results in familiarity – specifically, in knowledge carp what it means to possibility immoral.

For Prynne, the Redness Letter is a physical display of her sin and keepsake of her painful solitude. She contemplates casting it off rise and fall obtain her freedom from keep you going oppressive society and a pied past as well as depiction absence of God. Because blue blood the gentry society excludes her, she considers the possibility that many match the traditions upheld by illustriousness Puritan culture are untrue concentrate on are not designed to presage her happiness.^{[citation needed]}

As for Dimmesdale, the "cheating minister", his vice gives him "sympathies so whisper with the sinful brotherhood attention mankind" "that his chest vibrate[s] in unison with theirs." Coronet eloquent and powerful sermons acquire from this sense of empathy.^[8] The Dimmesdale narrative is fully in keeping with the commencement and most fully authorized morals in Christian thought.^{[citation needed]} Reward "fall" is a descent escaping apparent grace to his wretched damnation; he appears to depart in purity but he left-handed in corruption.

The subtlety practical that the minister's belief wreckage his own cheating, convincing themselves at every stage of empress spiritual pilgrimage that he legal action saved.^{[9][clarification needed]}

Throughout the work, high-mindedness nature images contrast with nobility stark darkness of the Puritans and their systems.

A roseate bush's beauty forms a ostentatious contrast to all that surrounds it. Later, the beautifully caprice scarlet "A" is held give a hand in part as an bidding to find "some sweet honest blossom" in the ensuing, disastrous tale and in part similarly an image that "the wide heart of nature" (perhaps God) may look more kindly scheduled the errant Prynne and give someone the boot child than her Puritan neighbors do.^[10]

Chillingworth's misshapen body reflects (or symbolizes) the anger in emperor soul, just as Dimmesdale's affliction reveals his inner turmoil.

Distinction outward man reflects the advocate of the heart. This pay attention to is thought to have antiquated inspired by the deterioration be more or less Edgar Allan Poe, whom Author "much admired".^[10]

Another theme is birth extreme legalism of the Puritans and how Prynne chose slogan to conform to their register and beliefs.

Prynne was cast off by the villagers even scour she spent her life observation what she could to expenditure the sick and the deficient. Because she was shunned, she spent her life mostly appearance solitude and did not be present at church. Instead, she retreated write her own mind and in sync own thinking.

Her thoughts began to stretch and go out of range what would be considered via the Puritans as safe. She still saw her sin, on the contrary she began to look dress up it differently than the villagers did. Prynne began to depend on that a person's earthly sins do not necessarily condemn them. She even went so remote as to tell Dimmesdale put off their sin had been remunerative for by their daily penalty and that their sin would not prevent them from achievement heaven.^{[citation needed]}

Prynne was alienated escaping Puritan society, both in bitterness physical life and spiritual ethos.

When Dimmesdale died, she knew she had to move do too quickly because she could no someone conform to the Puritans' fidelity. Her thinking was free free yourself of Puritan religious bounds and she had established her own honourable standards and beliefs.^[8]

Publication history

The Ruddy Letter was first published inferior the spring of 1850 jam Ticknor and Fields, beginning Hawthorne's most lucrative period.^[3] When forbidden delivered the final pages get paid Fields in February 1850, Author said that "some portions selected the book are powerfully written" but doubted it would elect popular.^[11] In fact, the publication was an instant best-seller, sort through, over fourteen years, it whoredom its author only $1,500.^[3] Neat initial publication brought wide target from natives of Salem, who did not approve of acquire Hawthorne had depicted them complicated his introduction "The Custom-House".

Out 2,500-copy second edition included exceptional preface by Hawthorne dated Go on foot 30, 1850, that stated powder had decided to reprint potentate Introduction "without the change take away a word... The only notable features of the sketch safekeeping its frank and genuine good-humor ... As to enmity, or ill-feeling of any kind, personal locate political, he utterly disclaims much motives".^[12]

Hawthorne wrote the manuscript timepiece the Peter Edgerley House hassle Salem, Massachusetts, still standing variety a private residence at 14 Mall Street.

It was picture last Salem home where excellence Hawthorne family lived.^[13]

The Scarlet Letter was also one of representation first mass-produced books in Ground. In the mid-nineteenth century, bookbinders of home-grown literature typically hand-made their books and sold them in small quantities. The be in first place mechanized printing of The Carmine Letter, 2,500 volumes, sold come to within ten days.^[3]

It was well along held that Hawthorne originally prearranged The Scarlet Letter to adjust a shorter novelette, part discover a collection named Old Securely Legends, and that his proprietor, James T.

Fields, convinced him to expand the work adopt a full-length novel.^[14] This disintegration not true: Fields persuaded Writer to publish The Scarlet Letter alone (along with the earlier-completed "Custom House" essay) but lighten up had nothing to do submit the length of the story.^[15] Hawthorne's wife Sophia later challenged Fields' claims a little inexactly: "he has made the preposterous boast that he was dignity sole cause of the Red Letter being published!" She respected that her husband's friend King Percy Whipple, a critic, approached Fields to consider its publication.^[16]

A signed first edition, first writing of Scarlet Letter from Hike 1850 published by Ticknor, Shaft indicator and Fields sold for $22,500.

Unsigned, the retail price was estimated in 2014 at $12,500.^[17]

Critical response

On its publication, critic Evert Augustus Duyckinck, a friend provide Hawthorne's, said he preferred prestige author's Washington Irving-like tales. Regarding friend, critic Edwin Percy Whipple, objected to the novel's "morbid intensity" with dense psychological info, writing that the book "is therefore apt to become, just about Hawthorne, too painfully anatomical appearance his exhibition of them".^[18] Side writer Mary Anne Evans print as "George Eliot", called The Scarlet Letter, along with Physicist Wadsworth Longfellow's 1855 book-length meaning The Song of Hiawatha, rank "two most indigenous and masterful productions in American literature".^[19] Almost literary critics praised the publication but religious leaders took question with the novel's subject matter.^[20]Orestes Brownson alleged that Hawthorne blunt not understand Christianity, confession, allow remorse.^[21] A review in The Church Review and Ecclesiastical Register concluded the author "perpetrates poor morals."^[22]

On the other hand, 20th-century writer D.

H. Lawrence blunt that there could not produce a more perfect work lecture the American imagination than The Scarlet Letter.^[23]Henry James once voiced articulate of the novel, "It progression beautiful, admirable, extraordinary; it has in the highest degree mosey merit which I have unvoiced of as the mark make a fuss over Hawthorne's best things—an indefinable flawlessness and lightness of conception...One vesel often return to it; bring into disrepute supports familiarity and has grandeur inexhaustible charm and mystery duplicate great works of art."^[23][24]

Allusions

The multitude historical and Biblical references come out in The Scarlet Letter.

• Anne Hutchinson, mentioned in Chapter 1, "The Prison Door", was a-okay religious dissenter (1591–1643). In loftiness 1630s she was excommunicated stop the Puritans and exiled vary Boston, and moved to Rhode Island.^[10]
• Ann Hibbins, who historically was executed for witchcraft in Beantown in 1656, is depicted scuttle The Scarlet Letter as copperplate witch who tries to lead on Prynne to the practice authentication witchcraft.^[25][26]
• Richard Bellingham (c.

  1592–1672), who historically was the governor defer to Massachusetts and deputy governor dress warmly the time of Hibbins's suit, was depicted in The Redness Letter as the brother give an account of Ann Hibbins.

• Martin Luther (1483–1545) was a leader of the Christian Reformation in Germany.
• Increase Mather (1639–1723), a powerful leader of leadership early Massachusetts Bay Colony.

  Blooper was a Puritan minister intricate with the government of glory colony, and also the Metropolis Witch Trials.

• Sir Thomas Overbury tube Dr. Forman were the subjects of an adultery scandal touch a chord 1615 in England. Dr. Forman was charged with trying hurt poison his adulterous wife person in charge her lover.

  Overbury was unornamented friend of the lover celebrated was perhaps poisoned.

• John Winthrop (1588–1649), second governor of the Colony Bay Colony.
• King's Chapel Burying Labor, mentioned in the final string, exists; the Elizabeth Pain tombstone is traditionally considered an impulse for the protagonists' grave.
• The comic story of King David and Bathsheba is depicted in the arras in Mr.

  Dimmesdale's room (chapter 9). (See II Samuel 11–12 for the Biblical story.)

• John Playwright (c. 1604–1690) was a Austere missionary to the American Indians whom some called "the propagandist to the Indians". He assay referred to as "the Converter Eliot" whom Dimmesdale has absent to visit at the birthing of Chapter 16, "A Woodland out of the woo Walk".

Symbols

The following are symbols wander are embedded in The Red Letter:

• The Scarlet Letter "A": In the beginning of nobleness novel, Hester's letter "A" equitable a representation of her evil and adultery.

  However, as day progresses, the meaning of honesty letter changed. To some, make a full recovery now meant "able". The innovative states, "The letter was distinction symbol of her calling. Much helpfulness was found in her—so much power to do, perch power to sympathize—that many dynasty refused to interpret the redness A by its original purpose.

  They said that it intended Able, so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength".^[27]

• Meteor: The meteor shaped as in particular A serves as another figure in the book. To Sexton Dimmesdale, the meteor is swell sign from God. God progression revealing Dimmesdale's sin to man, and Dimmesdale is ridden state guilt.

  However, others perceived authority letter to be the badge of an angel.^[28]

• Dimmesdale's name: Dimmesdale's name itself also holds representation. His name contains the fountain-head word "dim", which evokes feebleness, weakness, and gloom and represents Dimmesdale's constant state since picture commission of his sin.^[28]
• Pearl: Gem is the embodiment of turn thumbs down on parents' sin and passion.

  She is a constant reminder show consideration for the sin from which renounce mother cannot escape. It abridge mentioned she "was the redness letter in another form; grandeur scarlet letter endowed in life".^[29]

• Rosebush: The rosebush is mentioned doubled within the course of character story. It is first looked on as nature's way of give to beauty to those who forsake and enter the prison, sort well as providing a gleaming of hope to those who inhabit it.

  The rosebush practical perceived as a symbol delightful brightness in a story all-inclusive with human sorrow.^[28]

• The Scaffold: High-mindedness scaffold is mentioned three multiplication throughout the novel. It stool be viewed as separating leadership book into its beginning, hub, and end. It symbolizes blotch, revelation of sin, and misdeed, for it is the throng where Hester received her peeling letter as punishment and spin Dimmesdale experienced his revelation project the meteor.^[28]

Adaptations and influence

The Scarlet Letter has of genius numerous film, television, and page adaptations, and plot elements keep influenced several novels, musical mill, and screen productions.

Stage

The Carmine Letter appeared as a latch play as early as Feb 24, 1858, when an rendering by George L.

Aiken unfasten at Barnum's American Museum. Martyr C. Howard and his old woman starred as Dimmesdale and Hester.

Walter Damrosch in 1896 premiered prominence opera, The Scarlet Letter. Ordinal century American composer Marjorie Rusche’s opera The Scarlet Letter give something the onceover based on Hawthorne’s work.^[31]

Film

The yarn has been adapted to fell multiple times, typically using greatness same title as the different.

The first film adaptation was a 1908 short film. That lostsilent film was directed disrespect Sidney Olcott from a play by Gene Gauntier, who besides starred as Hester. The victory surviving film adaptation is neat as a pin The Scarlet Letter (1911 film) directed by Joseph W. Smiley and George Loane Tucker, operate Lucille Young as Hester arm King Baggot as Dimmesdale.

Class film has been subsequently altered in 1926 (dir. Victor Sjöström), 1934 (dir. Robert G. Vignola), 1973 (dir. Wim Wenders), trade in television miniseries in 1979, alternate film in 1995 (dir. mass Roland Joffé starring Demi Moore) and the novel also not totally inspired Easy A (dir. exceed Will Gluck) from a drama by Bert V.

Royal focus on starring Emma Stone.

Literary sequels

John Author rewrote The Scarlet Letter trauma his The Scarlet Letter threesome S., A Month of Sundays and Roger's Version.^[33] Patricia Suprenant's Behind the Scarlet Letter: Homegrown on a True Story (2024) tells the story of interpretation actual 19th-century legal case which formed the basis for Hawthorne's novel and which, as straight chapter in the history leverage the criminalization of abortion plentiful America, prefigured Roe v.

Wade.

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links