Uploaded November 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Read our free study guide at: gradesaver.com/the-scarlet-letter
The Scarlet Letter is a historical novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850. Set in seventeenth-century Puritan Massachusetts, the novel focuses on the story of Hester Prynne, who gives birth to a daughter, Pearl, after an adulterous affair. While Hawthorne risked his career in centering his novel on such a taboo topic, the novel is more concerned with the effects of the affair than with the affair itself, using Hester's public shaming as a springboard to explore the lingering taboos of Puritan New England in then-contemporary society. Considered Hawthorne’s most famous work, The Scarlet Letter is also the first quintessentially American novel in style and theme, as well as one of America’s first mass-published books.
The novel opens with Hester Prynne, a new mother, being led to the scaffold, where she is to be publicly shamed by her Puritan community for three hours as punishment for committing adultery. Furthermore, Hester has been forced to wear the letter “A” on her gown at all times. In an elegant flourish, she has stitched a large scarlet “A” onto her dress with gold thread. Hester carries her daughter, Pearl, onto the scaffold, and is later asked to reveal the name of Pearl’s father. She refuses but is unnerved to see her husband, Roger Chillingworth, in the crowd, despite her assumption that he had been lost at sea.
Hester is returned to the prison where she has been kept following her crime. Masquerading as a physician, Chillingworth visits Hester, telling her that he has settled in Boston and intends to find out who Pearl’s father is by reading the truth on the man's heart. He forces her to promise never to reveal his true identity as her cuckolded husband, threatening to avenge her betrayal by ruining Pearl’s father if she does.
Several years pass, and Hester and Pearl move into a cottage bordering the woods outside Boston, living in relative solitude. Hester earns a living by doing stitchwork for local dignitaries, but spends her free time helping the poor and sick. Meanwhile, Pearl grows up to be wild and disobedient. She is also obsessed with the scarlet A that Hester wears. While church officials attempt to remove Pearl from Hester’s home as a result of her mischievous streak, Arthur Dimmesdale, a young and respected minister, manages to convince the governor to let Pearl stay with Hester.
Over time, Chillingworth develops a reputation as a talented physician, using his standing as such to be transferred into the same home as Dimmesdale, who is suffering from an unknown illness. Caring for Dimmesdale, Chillingworth becomes convinced that Dimmesdale’s condition is a symptom of his guilty heart. One afternoon, while Dimmesdale is asleep, Chillingworth discovers a mark of shame on his breast and infers that Dimmesdale is indeed Pearl’s father.
From then on, Chillingworth torments the minister in the guise of nursing him back to health. One night, Dimmesdale is so overcome with shame at his secret that he walks to the scaffold where Hester was publicly humiliated and imagines the whole town watching him.
On their way home from a sickbed, Hester and Pearl come upon Dimmesdale, joining him atop the scaffold. When Pearl asks Dimmesdale to publicly acknowledge her as his daughter the following day, Dimmesdale refuses. Just then, a meteor in the shape of an “A” passes, illuminating Chillingworth, who watches them from a distance. Hester realizes that Chillingworth must be slowly killing Dimmesdale.
Weeks later, Hester encounters Chillingworth picking herbs in the woods and threatens to reveal his identity as her husband to Dimmesdale. He tells her that Providence is in charge of their fates, and that she may do as she sees fit. Later, Hester arranges to meet Dimmesdale in the forest with Pearl, telling him of Chillingworth’s true identity. They decide to run away together in four days’ time.
The day before their departure, Dimmesdale delivers his Election Sermon, receiving overwhelming praise for his preaching. Meanwhile, Hester discovers that Chillingworth has found out about her and Dimmesdale’s plan to run away—and has secured a spot on the very same ship.
Leaving the church, Dimmesdale notices Hester and Pearl standing nearby and shocks the crowd by climbing the scaffold with them. Dimmesdale confesses to having fathered Pearl and reveals the scarlet A seared into his chest, admitting that he should have assumed his rightful place by Hester’s side seven years earlier when she first climbed the scaffold. After this admission, Dimmesdale suddenly dies on the scaffold.
Read the full summary at: gradesaver.com/the-scarlet-letter
Read our free study guide at: gradesaver.com/the-scarlet-letter
The Scarlet Letter is a historical novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850. Set in seventeenth-century Puritan Massachusetts, the novel focuses on the story of Hester Prynne, who gives birth to a daughter, Pearl, after an adulterous affair. While Hawthorne risked his career in centering his novel on such a taboo topic, the novel is more concerned with the effects of the affair than with the affair itself, using Hester's public shaming as a springboard to explore the lingering taboos of Puritan New England in then-contemporary society. Considered Hawthorne’s most famous work, The Scarlet Letter is also the first quintessentially American novel in style and theme, as well as one of America’s first mass-published books.
The novel opens with Hester Prynne, a new mother, being led to the scaffold, where she is to be publicly shamed by her Puritan community for three hours as punishment for committing adultery. Furthermore, Hester has been forced to wear the letter “A” on her gown at all times. In an elegant flourish, she has stitched a large scarlet “A” onto her dress with gold thread. Hester carries her daughter, Pearl, onto the scaffold, and is later asked to reveal the name of Pearl’s father. She refuses but is unnerved to see her husband, Roger Chillingworth, in the crowd, despite her assumption that he had been lost at sea.
Hester is returned to the prison where she has been kept following her crime. Masquerading as a physician, Chillingworth visits Hester, telling her that he has settled in Boston and intends to find out who Pearl’s father is by reading the truth on the man's heart. He forces her to promise never to reveal his true identity as her cuckolded husband, threatening to avenge her betrayal by ruining Pearl’s father if she does.
Several years pass, and Hester and Pearl move into a cottage bordering the woods outside Boston, living in relative solitude. Hester earns a living by doing stitchwork for local dignitaries, but spends her free time helping the poor and sick. Meanwhile, Pearl grows up to be wild and disobedient. She is also obsessed with the scarlet A that Hester wears. While church officials attempt to remove Pearl from Hester’s home as a result of her mischievous streak, Arthur Dimmesdale, a young and respected minister, manages to convince the governor to let Pearl stay with Hester.
Over time, Chillingworth develops a reputation as a talented physician, using his standing as such to be transferred into the same home as Dimmesdale, who is suffering from an unknown illness. Caring for Dimmesdale, Chillingworth becomes convinced that Dimmesdale’s condition is a symptom of his guilty heart. One afternoon, while Dimmesdale is asleep, Chillingworth discovers a mark of shame on his breast and infers that Dimmesdale is indeed Pearl’s father.
From then on, Chillingworth torments the minister in the guise of nursing him back to health. One night, Dimmesdale is so overcome with shame at his secret that he walks to the scaffold where Hester was publicly humiliated and imagines the whole town watching him.
On their way home from a sickbed, Hester and Pearl come upon Dimmesdale, joining him atop the scaffold. When Pearl asks Dimmesdale to publicly acknowledge her as his daughter the following day, Dimmesdale refuses. Just then, a meteor in the shape of an “A” passes, illuminating Chillingworth, who watches them from a distance. Hester realizes that Chillingworth must be slowly killing Dimmesdale.
Weeks later, Hester encounters Chillingworth picking herbs in the woods and threatens to reveal his identity as her husband to Dimmesdale. He tells her that Providence is in charge of their fates, and that she may do as she sees fit. Later, Hester arranges to meet Dimmesdale in the forest with Pearl, telling him of Chillingworth’s true identity. They decide to run away together in four days’ time.
The day before their departure, Dimmesdale delivers his Election Sermon, receiving overwhelming praise for his preaching. Meanwhile, Hester discovers that Chillingworth has found out about her and Dimmesdale’s plan to run away—and has secured a spot on the very same ship.
Leaving the church, Dimmesdale notices Hester and Pearl standing nearby and shocks the crowd by climbing the scaffold with them. Dimmesdale confesses to having fathered Pearl and reveals the scarlet A seared into his chest, admitting that he should have assumed his rightful place by Hester’s side seven years earlier when she first climbed the scaffold. After this admission, Dimmesdale suddenly dies on the scaffold.
Read the full summary at: gradesaver.com/the-scarlet-letter
