The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Title: The Scarlet Letter

Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 272 pages

Published: 1850 (original) 2004 (version I read)

Publisher: Barnes and Noble Classics

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) America’s first psychological novel, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is a dark tale of love, crime, and revenge set in colonial New England. It revolves around a single, forbidden act of passion that forever alters the lives of three members of a small Puritan community: Hester Prynne, an ardent and fierce woman who bears the punishment of her sin in humble silence; the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, a respected public figure who is inwardly tormented by long-hidden guilt; and the malevolent Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s husband—a man who seethes with an Ahab-like lust for vengeance. The landscape of this classic novel is uniquely American, but the themes it explores are universal—the nature of sin, guilt, and penitence, the clash between our private and public selves, and the spiritual and psychological cost of living outside society. Constructed with the elegance of a Greek tragedy, The Scarlet Letter brilliantly illuminates the truth that lies deep within the human heart.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

The Scarlet Letter is one of those books that I've never read but I know and understand the majority of the storyline. (I've also never watched any of the movies made based off of the novel.) I've always managed to end up in the English classes in school that never read this book or a lot of the other classics. 

It is definitely a dark tale that shows a glimpse into a world that is not what we are used to today. The hardest part for me was the writing style, but I really try to ignore that with classics like this, as it's typical of the writing styles of the era in which the book was written. 

Warning!: the rest of the review has spoilers. I try really hard not to post spoiler so people can read the stories for themselves, but I feel this is an old enough book that has been made into several movies, that I can safely post a major spoiler. 

I did enjoy the story and felt heart-broken for both Hester and Pearl when the Reverend died. I was hoping they'd go off and be happy together elsewhere, but I should have definitely known better to hope for such an event. (Ever the romantic optimist...) I'm glad that Hawthorne added in the bit after the events on the scaffold that day to explain what is believed to have happened to Hester and Pearl. It was definitely nice to learn that they were able to have somewhat happy lives after they left New England.

If you're looking for a great classic to pick up, I'd definitely pick this one up.

You can purchase The Scarlet Letter through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Scarlet Letter? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.