The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter was published by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850, when the United States of America was not yet 100 years old. Upon its release, the novel became an instant hit, as it dealt with community, passion, wild emotion, and rule-breaking. Many Americans were excited to read a book that explored an integral chapter in their country’s history. The novel is set in mid-17th century Massachusetts Bay Colony (read: old school Boston), and it follows Hester Prynne and her lover over the course of seven years. Are you intrigued yet? Read on.

Nathaniel Hawthorne, a Bowdoin College graduate, hung out in college with the likes of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and future United States President Franklin Pierce. After graduating, Hawthorne found a job at the Custom House (a building where people monitored and documented goods for import and export) in Salem; he was fired from this position in 1849. Shortly thereafter, his mother (who had raised him single-handedly) passed away. Life was not so good. So Hawthorne (who had wanted for so long to write the great American novel) decided to write a book. And that book contained all of the emotion that a grieving man could muster.

The result of Hawthorne’s sudden unemployment is the beautiful, heart-wrenching tale of Hester Prynne. Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter feverishly and furiously, and when he read the final words of the final chapter to his wife, she ran to bed crying. At that point, Hawthorne knew he had a hit on his hands. (Source: Marx, Leo. Foreword. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Signet Classics, 1980.)

Hawthorne has an interesting connection to early colonial American history: his ancestors played a role in the persecution of Quaker women, as well as in the prosecution of women in the Salem Witch Trials. In "The Custom House," the preface to this novel, the narrator alludes to this history, taking blame for the actions of these ancestors and hoping that any curse brought about by their cruelty be removed.

Before we set you loose upon the stunning world of mid-17th century Boston, we want to mention that this was a society governed by Puritans, religious men and women who settled at Plymouth Rock, founded Boston, and began the experiment that grew into the United States of America. The Puritans left the Church of England (the Christian church of, well, England), which they felt was becoming too lax in its doctrines. They sought a purer form of their religion. At the heart of this novel is the concept of man’s relationship to himself and to a Christian God. Hawthorne sets his novel in a deeply religious time, and, thus, the language of the novel and the themes invoked contain deeply religious undertones.

It’s Monday morning, and you slink into your American Studies class with a conscience so guilty, you begin to think the words "I didn’t read the book" are tattooed on your forehead. Your classmates are cheerful chatty Cathys, gleefully exchanging anecdotes about their weekends as they pull out their glossy copies of The Scarlet Letter. This is just going to have to be one of those classes where you do a lot of nodding.

"Did you read the book?" one of your classmates asks the kid sitting across the table. "Oh, heck no," he replies. "Neither did I," replies your classmate. Suddenly, everyone starts talking about how they have not read the book. GREAT. "How in the heck are we going to survive Mr. Chillingbone’s class?" you wonder. Noticing the increasing frenzy, the class clown tries to calm everyone down by saying, "Relax. All we have to know is that the book is about a lady who has an affair with a priest, like, thousands of years ago. It’s juicier than a soap opera. We can make it up as we go."

Mr. Chillingbone, a wise, scarily perceptive Dumbledore look-alike of a man walks into class somberly. He places his book and mug of tea on the table, looks around the room suspiciously, sniffs the air, and his gaze lands on you.

"Class, I hope you enjoyed The Scarlet Letter and are prepared for a lively discussion about the role Mistress Hibbins plays in developing our understanding of Hester Prynne." Gulp.

"You there, Mr. Shmoop?"

"Yes," you reply.

"Why don’t you start us off."

"Start us off?"

"Yes. In fact, why don’t you facilitate our discussion today."

The tattoo is forming on your forehead. You can either 1) run out of class immediately, 2) pretend to have read the book, and lead a class discussion about two characters you’ve never even heard of, or 3) tell the truth.

"I’m sorry, Mr. Chillingbone, but I wasn’t able to read the book." You are so noble.

"What!" Mr. Chillingbone roars. "You’ve been given a whole week to read this classic tale, and you HAVEN’T READ THE BOOK?!" He stares at you with huge disappointment, and it breaks your little scholarly heart. "Who else has neglected to read this work of sheer genius? Who?!"

No one says a thing. Your classmates thumb through their glossy copies, unwilling to fess up.

"Good," Mr. Chillingbone says. "I am glad there are still some scholars left in the world. As for you, Mr. Shmoop, you will receive an F for the week in this class, and you must write a 20-page paper by Friday about the role Mistress Hibbins plays in this novel. You may go now."

Blushing and completely mortified, you leave class. Your classmates stare at you as you go, smirking a little. How does it feel to be Hester Prynne? How does it feel to tell the truth and to feel the pang of injustice? Whether it has to do with class, friendships, parents, or the law, we bet that, on some level, you and Hester have a lot in common.