Preston Smith
If you love the classics as much as we do, you have definitely read Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter (or you were required to read it for class, but that counts too). If you haven’t yet read it, give it a shot at your leisure as we really believe it’s a novel that can make anyone invested in it.
One of the great novels of the nineteenth century, it was published by author Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850 and follows the life of Hester Prynne and later also her wildly-behaved daughter, Pearl. Hester conceives of Pearl out of wedlock, and readers do not initially know who her father is, which creates for an interesting tale of love, sacrifice, guilt, and atonement.
The themes strewn throughout the novel are another large factor in why it is so endearing and dare we say whimsical. On top of religious and gender-related themes, The Scarlet Letter toys with nature and its relationship with civilization and furthermore how sin manifests in these two different sectors of the pre-industrial world.
Though this book was written nearly two hundred years ago and set nearly four hundred years ago, there is something in its pages for everybody. There is intrigue, passion, retribution, and lots to be unpacked in Hawthorne’s words. His characters may be well-rounded and the plot not too complicated, but he writes in a way that leaves a lot to mined, to be discovered, each time you read one of his novels – which is another reason why we love this particular book. We can read it numerous times and still find new tidbits that we didn’t examine the first time.
Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is just one of the many great books from the nineteenth century, with both Hawthorne and Herman Melville (most known for Moby Dick), for example, having a large catalog of admirable novels and short stories. Which are you favorites?
Do you love Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter as much as we do? Comment below and tweet us @Fuzzable with all of your bookish love!
