The Scarlet Letter, published in 1850, was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and is generally considered to be his greatest work and a classic piece of American literature. Set in Puritan New England in the 17th century, the story deeply probes the issues of grace, legalism, and guilt. A 1995 dramatisation, directed by Roland Joffé, starred Demi Moore as Hester.
Hester Prynne, the story's protagonist, is a young married woman whose husband was presumed to have been lost at sea. She begins an adulterous relationship with Arthur Dimmesdale, the highly regarded town minister, and becomes pregnant with a daughter, who she names Pearl. She is then publicly vilified and forced to wear the scarlet letter "A" on her clothing to identify her as an adulteress, but loyally refuses to reveal the identity of her lover. She accepts the punishment with strength and refuses to be defeated by the shame inflicted upon her by her society, and gradually regains her community's favor through good deeds and admirable character.
Dimmesdale, knowing that the punishment for his sin could be execution, does not admit his relationship with Prynne. He thus maintains his righteous image, but internally he is dogged by his guilt and the shame of his weakness and hypocrisy. The reappearance of Prynne's husband, Roger Chillingworth, causes him further emotional strife, as Chillingworth covertly exacts his revenge on Dimmesdale by exacerbating his guilt. Ultimately, Dimmesdale contracts a mysterious disease as a result of his shame, which eventually kills him, just moments after he admits his guilt publically.
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