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1804—1864
Born in Salem, MA
Born “Hathorne” but
changed his name to
distance himself from
his relatives and
ancestors
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William Hathorne
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1620s judge who
prosecuted and
terrorized Quakers
John Hathorne
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1690s judge who
sentenced “witches”
to death in Salem
during the famous
witch trials
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Very shy man
Graduated from
Bowdoin College in
1825
Spent years collecting
stories and historical
information related to
Puritanism
Worked as an inspector
in the Boston Customs
House
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Claims to have found
evidence and papers
concerning Hester Prynne
and an actual scarlet letter
Touched the letter to his
breast and felt “burning
embers…as if the letter
were not of red cloth, but
red hot iron.
No factual basis for the
“documents” and “letter”
but this was a typical
introduction for romances
at the time
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Romantic
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Deals with the strange and mysterious
Uses symbolic imagination
Turns to the past for subject matter
Focuses on the problem of evil and the nature
of sin
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Examines guilt
Uses the effect of on sin on four main characters
 Hester, Pearl, Dimmesdale and Chillingsworth
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What is sin?
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Wild rosebush growing beside the prison door
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Is Hester’s sin a crime against civil law?
Is Hester’s sin a crime against nature’s law?
Does nature sympathize with those whom society
condemned?
Unity of Place
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Three scaffold scenes
Four main characters are present
Change is demonstrated in each character
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Very formal language—often difficult for
modern readers to decode
Using imagery to create mood
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Plants, light, darkness, shadow, etc
Narration mixed with dramatic scenes
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Historical references to give his story credence
Wanted to restore the church to its “pure” state
Did not actually seek religious freedom, just
wanted a place to worship as they chose
Very intolerant of other religious beliefs—
persecuted and banished individuals whose
beliefs did not match theirs
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Role of ministers and magistrates (law officials)
to enforce the laws of God
Church very linked to state
Believed they were ordained by God to
establish a community under His laws
All members of the community judged the
faith and works of every other member
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Insisted on a lifestyle of self-discipline and
hard work following the will of God
Completely intolerant of sin
Any sin committed in the community would
incur God’s wrath
Looked for sins so they could be publically
addressed and the community could express
their scorn
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Lived very simple, hardworking lives—
idleness was an invitation to sin
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“Idle hands are the devil’s playthings.
Dressed in brown, gray or black –”somber
colors”
Avoided worldly pleasures
Transferred children so they weren’t spoiled by
natural parents
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Calvinists
Believed humans were too sinful to earn
salvation by performing good works or
avoiding sin
People could only go to heaven through God’s
grace
Pre-destination—those who were saved had
already been chosen
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One knew whether one was a member of
“God’s elect” by being able to avoid sin
Dimmesdale and Hester are concerned that
they may be damned—not because of their sin
itself—but because they sinned it indicated that
they were already damned
The Scarlet Letter explores whether Hester and
Dimmesdale are actually damned or can be
redeemed
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Set in Puritan Salem
The story of Hester
Prynne who gives
birth after committing
adultery
Refuses to name the
father
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Hester is required to
wear a scarlet letter
“A” on her breast as a
mark of her shame
Struggles to build a
new life of repentance
and dignity while
raising her child and
being shunned by her
community
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Hester Prynne
Pearl
Roger Chillingsworth
Reverend Dimsdale
Governor Bellingham
Mistress Hibbins
Reverend John Wilson
Narrator
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Sin, knowledge and the human condition
The nature of evil
Identity and Society
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The Scarlet Letter
Pearl
The meteor
The prison
The scaffold
Nature
Sunlight
Color
Rosebush
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Motif: an idea or theme that is carried and
repeated throughout an entire literary work
Civilization v Wilderness
Night v Day
Naming