Product Description

This book includes an introduction and notes by Henry Claridge, Senior Lecturer, School of English, University of Kent at Canterbury. This is a troubling story of crime, sin, guilt, punishment and expiation, set in the rigid moral climate of 17th-century New England. The young mother of an illegitimate child confronts her Puritan judges. However, it is not so much her harsh sentence, but the cruelties of slowly exposed guilt as her lover is revealed, that hold the reader enthralled all the way to the book's poignant climax.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #117592 in Books
• Published on: 1992-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

From the Publisher
Contains an 8-page plate section with long-unavailable pictures and drawings relating to Nathaniel Hawthorne and The Scarlet Letter.

Thoroughly edited and extensively annotated

Includes a 10,000-word section on Nathaniel Hawthorne's life and works, with a longer chapter on The Scarlet Letter, anecdotes, critical perspectives, adaptations and spin-offs

Lavishly produced on natural, high-quality paper, and affordably priced

Customer Reviews

The Roots of Our Double Standard
Few novels capture the essence of a different time like The Scarlet Letter. Yet reading this novel about strict moral rules leaves one with a difference sense about today's society. Very often a woman who has a child out of wedlock today experiences severe judgments from those around her. Yet the man involved will often stay hidden and not be subject to the same sanctions. Perhaps less changes than we think.

Reading this book also provides an uplifting view of the potential for goodness in how well Hester Prynne bears her shame and raises her child. You will also come away with a renewed appreciation for the strength that women often bring to tough situations. The courage to face a disapproving society with little in the way of emotional support is probably greater than the courage needed to face physical danger. You cannot help but appreciate Hester as a symbol of true courage.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the Puritan beginnings of modern American culture.

Captivating.
I am a 48 year old college student reading The Scarlet Letter for the first time. In fact, I have never read any of Nathaniel Hawthorne's works before--doesn't say much for my high school. Hawthorne's use of imagery and double meanings captivated me. ANALYSE ANYTHING--EVERYTHING HAS ANOTHER MEANING. I couldn't wait to read the next page and get to class to discuss it. When I read the passages again, I found more hidden meanings. I've gone on to read more of his works since and would now like to find out more about his family heritage. His family was involved in the Salem witch trials and the persecution of the Quakers during the 17th century. It has been suggested that this has influenced in his writings about guilt, shame, sin, & alienation.

I loved his allegorical treatment of the emotional ramifications brought on by social, family, and religious situations. What was chillingworth's sin anyway? Who cheated on who? I would say that the "goody-two shoe" minister, Arthur Dimmesdale, was the real villain. He never confessed to save Hester and Pearl until his dying day; he had nothing to personally gain by keeping his secret.

I "feel" for all the high school kids that do not appreciate or understand Hawthorne's stories. I suggest that you go to a quiet place, without interruptions--take the phone off the hook, and read. It will take time to get going; a little research would help. Coming to this site is a start. See what others think about his writing--BUT DON'T GIVE UP. You may even have to admit that you like it

A Timeless Classic
In this book, Hawthorne has truly captured the human spirit. However, it is not a work for the simple-minded. Those who do not fully understand it fail to appreciate the precision and genius with which it was written. Hester is such a strong character; as she struggles to win back the respect of the community, she regains her self-respect, which, she realizes, is ultimately more important. Hawthorne sets Rev. Dimmesdale, a very weak character, opposite Hester perfectly. Chillingworth is, in fact, "chilling," and little Pearl is a troublemaker but grows to be much like her mother. The book is a slow read but well worth the wait. It's full of symbolism -- pay close attention to the rose bush (first mentioned within the first chapter, so be alert!) and the significance of "mirrors."