The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne

I had to study this novel alongside The Color Purple for my English course and of the two novels this was certainly the more difficult. Plot: Hester Prynne commited adultery on her deformed husband because he was always away on business and she became bored. When Hester is released from prison, bearing her scarlet letter (the letter A must be worn on all of her clothes to show that she is an adultress), her estranged husband Chillingworth is in the crowd. The plot works through discovering the identity of Hester's daughter and the consequences that both parties must suffer for their actions. The book comes to a startling end with death, ...  Read the complete review

I have read a few of Nathanial Hawthorn's books, and he is strange writer - even in the midst of joy and life, he seems conscious of some darker force that must inevitably overtake his characters. The Scarlet Letter is no exception, and dwells on the consequences of passion in a world where adultery is frowned on. Hester is an amazing character, stoical in her fall, devoted to her illegitimate child,couragous in her love, and far too good for the weak man who does not know how to live with his perceived sin. Hawthorn does not believe that anyone gets away with it - there is an inevitable force that catches up with all who act wrongfully, even if that wrong exists ...  Read the complete review

I was given this 19th century novel to read as part of my English Literature course, with the idea of comparing it with a very modern book, Oranges are not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson. I, like many of my friends felt that it would be hard to read and devoid of feeling and passion. How wrong we were. The introductory chapter, The Custom House is hard to read, overly long and, in places, boring. However this chapter is like the notes of an editor setting the scene of how he came across the story. It is not really relevant to the actual plots so can be missed out. Once you get past the opening chapter the novel is easy to read and easy to ...  Read the complete review