The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter is a novel by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne, first published in 1850. Set in Puritan Massachusetts in the 1640s, it is considered one of the first great American novels and a masterwork of early American literature.

The story follows Hester Prynne, a woman who bears a child out of wedlock and is condemned to wear a scarlet “A” on her clothing as a mark of shame. As Hester endures public humiliation with quiet dignity, the identity of her child’s father — the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale — remains hidden, slowly consuming him with guilt. Meanwhile, Hester’s estranged husband, Roger Chillingworth, arrives in the colony and sets out on a path of psychological revenge.

A powerful exploration of sin, guilt, and redemption, The Scarlet Letter examines the tension between individual conscience and the judgment of a rigid society, themes that continue to resonate with readers today.