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The Scarlet Letter: A Romance
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The Scarlet Letter: A Romance Paperback - 1983

by Nathaniel Hawthorne; Contribution by Thomas E. Connolly; Introduction by Nina Baym


About this book

The Scarlet Letter: A Romance (1850) is considered the American author Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'masterwork.' A work of historical fiction set in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Puritan settlement of 1642-1949 itells the story of Hester Prynne, who after having a child as a result of an extra-marital affair attempts to live a life of repentance and dignity although she is marked by having to wear a Scarlett A on her person. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt.

The Scarlett Letter was one of the first mass-produced novels in the United States, prior printing of books generally done by hand. The 2,500 copies first printed sold out in days, and the mass-production of books opened up conversation about books and authors to a wider-audience on a national level. The first edition of The Scarlet Letter sold out in ten days and “made Hawthorne’s fame, changed his fortune and gave to our literature its first symbolic novel a year before the appearance of Melville’s Moby-Dick” (Bradley). Although an instant best-seller, the books sales over fourteen years only brought the author $1500.

Summary

A stark and allegorical tale of adultery, guilt, and social repression in Puritan New England, The Scarlet Letter is a foundational work of American literature. Nathaniel Hawthorne's exploration of the dichotomy between the public and private self, internal passion and external convention, gives us the unforgettable Hester Prynne, who discovers strength in the face of ostracism and emerges as a heroine ahead of her time.

From the publisher

The story of a woman persecuted by the narrow Calvinist-Puritan Boston society that was the author's own heritage. The book examines the circumstances of Hester's illegitimate pregnancy, reveals the shocking identity of the father, and attacks this society for blaming the innocent.

First Edition Identification

First edition published by Ticknor, Reeds and Fields, in Boston 1850. Main first edition marker is "reduplicate" instead of "repudiate" on page 21 Four page publisher's adverts at front dated March 1, 1850 and preceding the free end paper. The brown T-cloth favored by Ticknor & Fields is famous for becoming brittle with age, and cracking or fraying at the spine tips. First editions can run upwards of $20,000.

The second edition adds a preface and has a Metcalf imprint on verso of title-page. The third printing has the same preface but has a Hobart & Robbins imprint on verso of title-page.

Details

  • Title The Scarlet Letter: A Romance
  • Author Nathaniel Hawthorne; Contribution by Thomas E. Connolly; Introduction by Nina Baym
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition [ Edition: Repri
  • Pages 238
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Penguin Group, New York, New York, U.S.A.
  • Date 1983-04-28
  • ISBN 9780140390193 / 0140390197
  • Weight 0.41 lbs (0.19 kg)
  • Dimensions 7.81 x 5.09 x 0.6 in (19.84 x 12.93 x 1.52 cm)
  • Reading level 410
  • Library of Congress subjects Historical fiction, Psychological fiction
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 82024541
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC
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The Scarlet Letter: A Romance (The Penguin American Library)
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The Scarlet Letter: A Romance (The Penguin American Library)

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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The Scarlet Letter: A Romance
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The Scarlet Letter: A Romance
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The Scarlet Letter: A Romance

by Hawthorne, Nathaniel; Connolly, Thomas E. [Editor]; Baym, Nina [Introduction];

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The Scarlet Letter: A Romance
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The Scarlet Letter: A Romance (The Penguin American Library)
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The Scarlet Letter: A Romance (The Penguin American Library)

by Nathaniel Hawthorne; Editor-Thomas E. Connolly; Introduction-Nina Baym

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