The Scarlet Letter'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. |
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American answered appeared aspect become bosom Boston breast brook brought character child clergyman continually Custom-House dark death deep Dimmesdale Dimmesdale’s effect England evil expression eyes face father felt figure forest give Governor hand hath Hawthorne Hawthorne’s head heart Hester Prynne hold House human imagination interest kind knew leave less light little Pearl lived look Massachusetts matter means mind minister mother narrator nature needs never novel object once passed past perhaps person physician poor position present Press published Puritan Quakers question reference Reverend Roger Chillingworth Salem scaffold Scarlet Letter secret seemed seen side smile soul speak spirit stand step stood story strange tell thee thing thou thought took town true truth turned University voice whole wild woman young