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The Scarlet Letter

By Nathaniel Hawthorne
Series: Oxford World's Classics
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Set in seventeenth-century Puritan Boston, The Scarlet Letter tells the story of Hester Prynne, a woman condemned to wear a scarlet 'A' as a mark of adultery after bearing a child out of wedlock. Her estranged husband returns under an assumed name, intent on discovering and confronting her lover. Through Hesterโ€™s defiance and the unfolding moral conflicts, the novel explores themes of sin, guilt, and societal judgement.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3000

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Ideal for readers interested in classic literature, American history, and explorations of morality and society in a Puritan context.

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After a two-year absence a husband returns to find his wife wearing the scarlet 'A' for Adulteress on her breast. Determined to find her lover, he embarks on a destructive path of revenge. This edition uses the most authoritative text, with a wide-ranging critical introduction.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

'Thou and thine, Hester Prynne, belong to me.'

With these chilling words a husband claims his wife after a two-year absence. But the child she clutches is not his, and Hester must wear a scarlet 'A' upon her breast, the sin of adultery visible to all. Under an assumed name, her husband begins his search for her lover, determined to expose what Hester is equally determined to protect. Defiant and proud, Hester witnesses the degradation of two very different men, as moral codes and legal imperatives painfully collide.

Set in the Puritan community of seventeenth-century Boston, The Scarlet Letter also sheds light on the nineteenth century in which it was written, as Hawthorne explores his ambivalent relations with his Puritan forebears. The text of this edition is taken from the Centenary Edition of Hawthorne's works, the most authoritative critical edition.

ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years, Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780199537808

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 09 October 2008

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Oxford University Press

Contributors:

  • Edited by Brian Harding
  • Introduction by Cindy Weinstein

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 12.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 192g

Pages: 272

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Nathaniel Hawthorne Series: Oxford World's Classics

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