Customer Reviews

The Scarlet Letter

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3 star:		(46)
2 star:		(38)
1 star:		(42)

 

 

"The Scarlet Letter" is one of those books you start out reading because you had to finish it for a class assignment; or because you never got around to reading it in school but you feel you should because it's a so-called "classic", and end up getting hooked and realizing it's a classic for a good reason: it's a timeless story that resonates as much in our own time as when it was written, centuries ago. At the center of the book is Hester Prynne, a young wife in puritan New England, trapped in a loveless marriage with a man old enough to be her father, sent ahead of him to the new world while he takes care of business in the old. But before he can join her, she falls in love and into an affair, and nine months later, the result is born for all to see. In colonial New England, where religion controls every aspect of everyone's life, Hester and her lover have committed a horrendous crime, never mind a sin, for which they could both be executed; the powers that be feel they are being lenient with her by condemning her to wear a scarlet letter A, for adultery, prominently displayed on her clothes. Hester shocks the whole village by embroidering the scarlet letter with gold thread and wearing it like a badge of honor. Is this her way of spitting into the eye of the village, or is she making her public dishonor deliberately more shameful as a penance?

And who is Hester's lover? The village demands he show himself; Hester, out of pity, love, or contempt, or more probably a mixture of all three, isn't saying. We know early on it's the reverend Dimmesdale, a young preacher beloved and respected by all, but if he doesn't have the courage to come forth himself, Hester will keep his secret. The story isn't a whodunit, who done it is obvious almost from the beginning. The book is about love vs. lust, courage vs. cowardice, and the hypocrisy of public piety covering up a shameful secret. Reverend Dimmesdale can flagellate himself all he wants in private; we can't help but feel contempt for him for not having the guts to share Hester's public humiliation.

But as bad as things are for Hester and Dimmesdale, they are about to get infinitely worse with the appearance of Hester's husband, Roger Chillingsworth, who arrives in the new world to find he has been cuckolded by his wife, who has given birth to another man's child, and wants his honor avenged.

Hawthorne tells a compelling tale which captures our imagination as much as it did when it was written. We realize these star-crossed lovers don't stand a chance in the uptight society they lived in. The book moves slowly, but in doing so it gives the reader time to think about the timeless issues of love, betrayal, deception, and the social mores that controlled the protagonists lives. Hawthorne raised plenty of questions; the readers will find their own answers.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic reveals a woman with a burning letter A prominently branded on her heart. Hester Prynne's crime of adultery gains her isolation from the rest of her New England town. Her shunned existence is only relieved by her young daughter Pearl whose birth gained Hester her punishment. Reverand Arthur Dimmesdale's life is destroyed by his connection to Hester and his guilt. Roger Chillingsworth, Hester's husband, seeks revenge for his shame. All takes place in this novel that reveals the consequences of human nature and isolation.

I enjoyed this book but found the vocabulary and writing tiresome. Though I know that the writing style was appropriate for the time, some of the meaning evaded me. I did enjoy the wonderful metaphores and descriptions, along with the overall message to the book. The beautiful detail made "The Scarlet Letter" a enjoyable novel to read. I reccomend this book and hope that the reader will understand fully the meaning of this work of art.

A blazing scarlet letter "A" illuminates the shame and wickedness it symbolizes on the persistent Hester Prynne's chest as she diligently stands before the curious village and its leaders. In her arms lies the direct consequence of her sin and only treasure is the crying baby Pearl. Amongst the restless villagers hides her partner in crime, secretly concealed under the blanket of his most respected profession. Despite the mocking glares and questionings of the crowd, Hester refuses to reveal his identity. But with all the pressure and Hester's former husband evilly breathing behind his back, will the guilt of his shameful crime be more than he can manage to live through? Penetrate into Nathaniel Hawthorne's world of The Scarlet Letter...
Anyone who has the ability to read should look into this famous novel of sin, evil, knowledge, and the human condition. It clearly dominates in the literary world for its indescribable symbolism, depth, and diversity of characters. The Scarlet Letter has certainly earned its well-deserved place into the world of classic novels.

~ Jasna

The novel the Scarlet Letter does not need introduction. It's a wonderful piece of work form a great American author. What I like, besides the story itself, is the excellent Penguin Classics edition. Nina Baym's introduction is great and offers some really interesting insight into the writing and content of the novel. Notes describing historical allusions were also great. Plus, cheap!

Wow, I can't even put into words how good this book was, and so much better the second time around. The classic tale of Hester Pryne, forced to wear The Scarlet Letter as a sign to all of her adultery, but she refuses to name her lover who is then forced to bear his guilt in silence.

I loved Hawthorne's prose, it was very dense and lyrical at the same time, and you have to pay close attention or you might have to backup and reread a paragraph or two. His descriptions of the scenery and people came alive, especially the character of young Pearl. And I very much enjoyed the scenes in the forest -- it was amazing how Hawthorne brought it all to life, even the sounds of the babbling brook.

Highly recommended to anyone looking to discover (or rediscover) an old classic.

I purchased this book because I was told that in junior year it's required to read this novel. Instead my teacher showed us a movie version that follows the book exactally, but I decided to read the book for fun. If it wouldn't have been for the help of my English teacher I never would have understood this novel, but from what I did gather it had a great story and wonderful moral. If you are good at reading Hawthorne's style of writing, I suggest you read it because it is good, just hard to follow at times.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's prose in "The Scarlet Letter" is slightly complex at first but his description of Boston and of the people during the Puritan era is vivid and strong. I disagree with an earlier reviewer that the book was boring. The description of the characters and of the situations they were undergoing was helpful. It made the story much stronger. The last three or four chapters were surprisingly suspenseful. It is a fantastic read.

Moreover, "The Scarlet Letter" is a classic example of why social oppression is such a terrible thing. Thanks to the oppression of those times a child grew up without her father and a man died without ever having a real relationship with his daughter. One can't help but to think about the type of oppression (ie. sexual) that goes on today. This novel is a stark reminder of why oppression of any kind is really not worth it. When oppression exists in society, good people are always bound to suffer and all because of rigid, inhumane, socially conservative beliefs. Within its own context (Puritan era), the novel delves into this topic in a very powerful way. I highly recommend it because its subject matter still applies today.

I first read this book in college, and I have purchased it again to read. I think the book speaks volumes about society that was slow to be tolerant of differences and finds it easy to pile on when someone is ostracized. I found many parallels to today's society, where many people still exist who like to judge first and ask questions later. You will look at today's world with new eyes after reading this story crafted many years ago by one of America's best ever writers.

Jeffrey McAndrew

author of "Our Brown-Eyed Boy"

Said to be one of the first psychological novels ever written, The Scarlet Letter still captivates its readers. Nathaniel Hawthorne knew how to characterize his characters beautifully. Reading his work is like experiencing that character's life.
The story is set in colonial New England. The plot of the story revolves around the lives of three individuals who lived in Puritan Boston. Hester Prynne, a brave, fierce woman bearing her sin in silence, Reverand Arthur Dimmesdale, a very respected member of the community who suffers with his guilt, and Roger Chillingsworth, Hester's husband who wants revenge, are the three characters of Hawthorne's novel. As the story unfolds, so do the intricacies of the characters and in the end the truth is proven to be the best solution.
Reading this classic novel was harder to accomplish than I expected. The story starts off slow and, from my point of view, the wording of the book is hard to follow and understand. What I liked best about the novel was the underlying meanings you can take from reading the book. A person's passion for revenge and the clash between a person's private life and public life are hidden meanings shown throughout this story. The portrayal of human nature was also done wonderfully. Sin, guilt, pentinence, and lust are some of the main feelings in this book. The Scarlet Letter is a classic that continues to be read by all ages of readers and the story can teach people valuable lessons about life if read carefully.

It started with a great plot...until he actually wrote it. It was overwritten (it takes pages before something happens) and the protagonists were hard to like. Boring, sappy novel written as if he trying to imitate Victorian prose. There are a couple twists, but the main characters are such morons, it underscores the little action that does happen.