The Scarlet Letter, and the Blithedale Romance

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1872 edition. Excerpt: ...years ago, come hither now, and twine thy strength about me! Thy strength, Hester; but let it be guided by the will which God hath granted me! This wretched and wronged old man is opposing it with all his might!--with all his own might, and the fiend's! Come, Hester, come! Support me up yonder scaffold!" The crowd was in a tumult. The men of rank and dignity, who stood more immediately around the clergyman, were so taken by surprise, and so perplexed as to the purport of what they saw, --unable to receive the explanation which most readily presented itself, or to imagine any other, --that they remained silent and inactive spectators of the judgment which Providence seemed about to work. They beheld the minister, leaning on Hester's shoulder, and supported by her arm around him, approach the scaffold, and ascend its stepc; while still the little hand of the sin-born child was clasped in his. Old Roger Chillingworth followed, as one intimately connected with the drama of guilt and sorrow in which they had all been actors, and well entitled, therefore, to be present, at its closing scene. "Hadst thou sought the whole earth over," said he, looking darkly at the clergyman, "there was no one. place so secret, --no high place nor lowly place, whep; thou couldst have escaped me, --save on this very scaffold!" "Thanks be to Him who hath led me hither!" answered the minister. Yet he trembled, and turned to Hester with an expression of doubt and anxiety in his eyes, not the less evidently betrayed, that there was a feeble smile upon his lips. "Is not this better," murmured he, "than what we dreamed of in the forest?" "I know not! I know not!" she hurriedly replied. "Better? Yea; so we may both die, and little Pearl die with us!" "For thee and Pearl, be it as...

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Historical Fiction, School, Historical, American

152 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

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 Tales and became engaged to painter and illustrator Sophia Peabody the next year. He worked at a Custom House and joined a Transcendentalist Utopian community, before marrying Peabody in 1842. The couple moved to The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts, later moving to Salem, the Berkshires, then to The Wayside in Concord. The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. A political appointment took Hawthorne and family to Europe before returning to The Wayside in 1860. Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864, leaving behind his wife and their three children.

Much of Hawthorne's writing centers around New England and many feature moral allegories with a Puritan inspiration. His work is considered part of the Romantic movement and includes novels, short stories, and a biography of his friend, the United States President Franklin Pierce.

Reviews

[Brittany Sprague · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this as part of a Literature course. Learning literary criticism with this book made it all the more fascinating to read. Having read it in high school, a lot of it went over my head and I remember disliking the book as the ending is bleak. Yet, it was a totally new experience looking at it thematically and with critical theory/ formalism. Hawthorne was intentional with his word choice and foregrounding. This book is more endearing to me in adulthood.

[Avari Clark · Rating 1 out of 5]

Immediately no. Too wordy. Not a fan Old English :)

[Jordan Verhulst · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a classic American novel that was written decades ago. It is long, excessively wordy, and ultimately, quite boring; at least, that was my opinion of it once I finally finished the last page. While I can respect Nathaniel Hawthorne as a writer, I do not like his work. Those opinions aside, the book’s themes largely revolve around sin, evil, human nature, and the like. The book seems to be written in a preachy sort of way. Its writing is very descriptive, using very long analogies and metaphors to describe the simplest of things. Had this book been written in a more simplistic style, it would have been far shorter.
The title of the book makes reference to the famous red letter “A” that the main character, Hester Prynne, must wear as a symbol of her adulterous ways. This letter represents the books predominant theme of sin. The people of the book make her wear this to let everyone else know that she screwed up, and the price is apparently humiliation and shame. It is very unforgiving and harsh. This theme of sin is very closely tied to evil, the root of all sins. Because of the fact that human nature is to sin, engage in sinful activities, think sinfully, and so on, that is closely tied to sin as well. There is some degree of acceptance in this book, but it felt very overshadowed by the more negative aspects of the story.
Hawthorne’s style was incredibly detail oriented and descriptive. Now, in moderation, this is actually a good thing. I applaud authors that let me know exactly what I am looking at and can paint a vivid picture of that in my head. Mr. Hawthorne takes this to the next level, almost numbing the reader’s mind to the events of the story with his long-winded and meticulous descriptions of the environment and the people. All things in moderation, and in this case, less is more.
All in all, this book was pretty dry for me. I still recognize its particular finesse and rightful place in American literary history, but it was not for me. I would recommend it for a fan of classic literature, or for patient readers.

[Jonathan Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have just three things to say about this 'classic.'
1.Boring
2.Extremly confusing and hard to read.
3.Filled with as many world-view problems as The Matrix.

[Laura Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know, in college Nathaniel Hawthorne was one of my favorite authors. I especially enjoyed reading some of his short stories. The Scarlet Letter is one that I read in high school. I really couldn't remember it when I picked it up again for Nathanuary.

So did I like it? Not so much. I gave it three stars; because, it's a well-written classic.
I nearly gave up an The Scarlet Letter because the Counting House bored me terribly. When I read the actual story, it kept my attention; but, it was just so tragic. I was so sad for the way the town's people treated Hester, how her OOPS! just about gave it away. Anyhow, it was a sad story with some very good character development.

[Avid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay,.... 3rd reading over the course of 35ish years. STILL confused on what to say on how I feel about this book. I thought maturity with age would help with some insight but I am still left with more blanks, more questions, and many of the same questions & thoughts I faced the first 2 times I read it.

Yes, great foreshadowing, great symbolism, strong character, yada, yada, yada. I loved the style of writing though many have problems understanding it but it fits the time period and I loved her strength, spunk, and conviction to be true to herself.

The two areas that continue to bother me to this day are:

1). It rambles on and on and on often with nothing to do with anything related to do about the story line itself. (Is this an attempt to make the book longer or did the author go off on a side tangent?)
2) Without trying to spoil anything,.... Why was "he" made out to be such a sniveling cowardly whimp? Why did she cover for so long & simply accept the ridicule and being ostracized for both her and her daughter?

I'm not sure O will ever truly understand the true intentions of what the author desired for the readers to attain from reading the book.

Give it a try! Maybe you will figure it out. 😉

[Sheli McClellan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hardest book I've ever read, but I was determined to finish. I can't say I didn't skim a lot of words, but I understood the plot. Sad book but it was good. I'd give it 2.5 stars if that was an option. If you don't know the word ignominy, look it up first. It's on every other page, along with a lot of words we don't use a lot today.

[Bryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

My copy has 268 and I finished the book. It was tough to read this initially, but I started to like it more as it went on. I like how the characters developed and the ending. I think Pearl is a really interesting character and it would be fun to create her. I like how the minister tells everyone at the end that he's sorry, and he should've stood with Hester 7 years ago. Overall, It was ok. I struggled to understand what was happening at first but it got easier.

[Deltawun Malloy]

This first chapter contains little in the way of action, instead setting the scene and introducing the first of many symbols that will come to dominate the story. A crowd of somber, dreary-looking people has gathered outside the door of a prison in seventeenth-century Boston

[Phi Tam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book of the classics! There's something about the way Hawthorne writes that just seems so passionate.

[G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, some things change over time & some things don't it seems. Love reading classical literature!

[Ian · Rating 1 out of 5]

How do you unread a book.

[Jagrutibandaru · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the writing. Major reason for me persevering to reach the end of this deemed piece of art.

[Shirley Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a reason why this is a classic. Read it many years ago, but enjoyed it more this time.

[Maria Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it a long time ago. Loved it. It was a time capsule to another time, which made it so facsinating. The writing and storyline was excellent.

[Avery · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a really hard book to read. If you like classics, give this a go…but if you don’t, DO NOT read this.

[fae · Rating 5 out of 5]

first book i ever annotated :)

[Marivelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

too many words that I, in fact, could not comprehend 🙃.

[Tammy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have wanted to read this since HS and I joined a bookclub this month who was reading it. I was so excited but like, what did I just read? No, seriously. I really don't know.

[Serge Perrin Merinos · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a classic American novel renowned for its intricate language and profound themes. It follows the story of Hester Prynne, a young woman who is ostracized by her Puritan community after giving birth to a child out of wedlock. As a punishment, she is forced to wear a scarlet "A" on her chest, a public symbol of her adultery.
Despite the harsh judgment she faces, Hester refuses to reveal the identity of her lover, who is later revealed to be the town's respected minister, Arthur Dimmesdale. Their shared secret becomes a source of torment for both of them, as they struggle to reconcile their guilt with their desire for redemption.
The novel delves into the complexities of sin, repentance, and societal hypocrisy. It explores the themes of love, forgiveness, and the enduring human spirit. Through Hester's experiences, Hawthorne offers a powerful commentary on the destructive nature of prejudice and the importance of compassion.

[Autumn Wodrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly same

[Brendon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Scarlett Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne opens with a discovery of a script in a posthouse. The book revolves around the letter A worn by Hester Prynne marking her for her sins of adultery. Because her daughter Pearl was born to a man in which she was not wed, her fellow Puritans viewed her as a sinner.
The majority of the novel is false, save for bits and pieces of "The Custom House,"which is based on Hawthorne working in the that very building of Salem, Massachusetts. Despite that, the discovery of the manuscript is untrue. The Scarlet Letter was written in the style of dark romantic. It takes place at a recognizable place and time, Massachusetts during the 17th century, but many of its contents are made up. That being said, the Scarlett Letter was a book written mostly to show the morality of the characters and how to learn from mistakes.

[Ashwath Kumar · Rating 1 out of 5]

The plot revolves around a woman who must deal with the consequences of her actions, after she has an affair with a reverend. The themes are based on the effects of keeping secrets and of comitting sin. This book is boring at times, during much of the novel not much happens and nothing really interesting happens. The sentences are way too long and detailed, large enough to be a paragraph in their own right. The moments of the book that really matter are the ones with thematic importance, particularly the scaffhold scenes. This book might relate to today's society by examining the effects of sinning, which is something that will always occur, no matter what era it is.

[Miss Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in high school and again as an adult and I still loved it. Although wordy and sometimes hard to understand, The Scarlett Letters lessons ring true today as much as they did back then. Speaking to a womans place and the unfairness of the blame game when it comes to unwed and pregnant mothers. A good read if this is your ort of thing.

[Vasundhara Jha · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book goes on and on, in no particular direction. It has a great moral, and a few lines I underlined. Apart from that, there is nothing much to recommend. It is one of those tough-to-read books, dragging on and being a difficult read.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting to re-read (actually listen to CD's) for pleasure after so many years, instead of as a school assignment!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading in HS in 1960. Loved it!

[Renee Rice · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first part of the book, the custom house, was super boring. Once past that its a pretty interesting book.

[Usman Basith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Character: Dimmesdale, Hester, and Dr. Chillingsworth
Theme: Sin, social status, and ignorance

[Lauren Lycan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Major Characters: Hester and Pearl

Themes: appearance vs. reality