Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter is based on the puritanical custom of affixing a giant red, letter "A" to anybody that committed adultery. The novel centers on the adulterous Puritan Hester Prynne. Throughout the novel, she loyally refuses to reveal the name of her partner. The novel is generally regarded as Hawthorne's masterpiece and as one of the classics of American literature. However, it also reflects the typical, partriarchical attitude of both puritan society and of ... of committing adultery. At the beginning of the novel, Hester is forced to wear a scarlet letter, A,...

• Word Count: 1505
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate