The Scarlett Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a novel. The main characters are Hester Pyrnee, her daughter Pearl, her husband, who goes by Roger Chillingworth, and her secret lover, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. This story takes place in Boston, Massachusetts during the 1600's. It is about Hester who is convicted of being an adulterer and now has to wear a scarlet letter A on her chest. Hester has a daughter named Pearl who people consider a demon child because she's the result of sin. The story tells about their trials and revelations of hiding the truth and making the best of the situation.
The story begins with Hester being led away from the prison onto the scaffold in front of the town with her infant child Pearl in her arms. She has the letter A on her chest which stands for adulteress. Hester's husband sent her ahead to America, but he never arrived in Boston. While waiting for her husband, Hester had committed adultery and everyone knew because she had a baby. She will not tell who her lover is. The scarlet letter and public shaming is her punishment for her sin. While on the scaffold in town there is an onlooker who is Hester's missing husband, who calls himself Roger Chillingworth and says he's a doctor. He reveals his true identity to no one but Hester, whom he made a promise he would tell no one. As years go by, Hester supports herself by working as a seamstress. Pearl is an interesting, free-minded child. They live in a small cottage near the woods of Boston. Some men try to take Pearl away from Hester, but Arthur Dimmesdale prevents this. Dimmesdale suffers from mysterious heart trouble, seemingly caused by psychological distress. Chillingworth attaches himself to the ailing minister and eventually moves in with him so he can care for Dimmesdale. While the minister sleeps, Chillingworth discovers a mark on Dimmesdal...
