The Scarlet

Letter
North American Literature I
Caiane Mossmann, Marina Fernandes Velho,
Pâmela Silvestro
 Index
The autor Cultural aspects
The book Connections
Major themes Lesson plan
Historical context Conclusion
Critical comments and References
excerpts from the book
The Author
Nathaniel Hawthorne
1804 - 1864
American novelist and short story writer from Salem, Massachusetts.

Born Hathorne, his family had deep roots with Salem.

Explored themes of sin, guilt, and morality, influenced by his Puritan

ancestry.

Famous works: The Scarlet Letter (1850) and The House of the Seven
Gables (1851).
The Author
Nathaniel Hawthorne
1804 - 1864
Lived near Transcendentalists and married Sophia Peabody in 1842.

Served as U.S. consul in Liverpool (1853–1857).

Key figure in American Romanticism and Dark Romantic literature.

 The Book
Summary
Set in 17th century Puritan Boston, the story follows Hester Prynne,
punished with the scarlet letter “A” after bearing a child out of wedlock.

Her husband, Roger Chillingworth, arrives in disguise and becomes

obsessed with finding her lover.

The father is revealed as Arthur Dimmesdale, a respected minister, who

suffers illness from his hidden guilt while Chillingworth torments him.
 The Book
Summary
Though scorned at first, Hester earns respect over time through her
strength, compassion, and dignity.

Climax: Dimmesdale confesses publicly and dies in Hester’s arms, while

Chillingworth wastes away from revenge.

Hester and Pearl leave for Europe but she later returns, continuing to wear
the scarlet letter until her death. She is buried beside Dimmesdale, their
tombstone marked with “On a field, sable, the letter A, gules.”
 Major Themes
Sin and Guilt
The story explores different responses to sin: Hester accepts her punishment with strength,
Dimmesdale hides his guilt and suffers, while Chillingworth lets revenge consume him.

Public Vs. Private Punishment

Hester’s sin is exposed and punished publicly, while Dimmesdale suffers privately, showing
how secrecy can be even more destructive.

Judgment and Hypocrisy

Puritan society harshly condemns Hester but hides its own flaws, revealing the hypocrisy of
strict moral codes.
 Major Themes
Redemption and Forgiveness
Dimmesdale seeks redemption through confession, and Hester transforms her shame into
dignity and compassion.

Isolation and Identity

Hester’s punishment isolates her, but it also helps her grow stronger and define her own
identity outside society’s control.

The Nature of Evil

Chillingworth becomes a symbol of how obsession and revenge can corrupt the human soul.
 Historical Context
Time of writing: 19th century

Published in 1850, the novel appears during a period of consolidation of American literary
identity, shortly after independence and before the Civil War.

The author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, is part of American Romanticism, in its Dark

Romanticism branch, which explores guilt, sin, and psychological introspection.

The story takes place in Boston in the 17th century, a time when Puritan society was extremely
rigid.
 Critical comments from
Researchers and Writers
Harold Bloom: was an American professor and literary critic.

“Hester Prynne is one of the first great female heroines in literature,

transforming the mark of shame into a symbol of resistance.”
 Excerpts from the Book

Excerpt (Chapter XVIII – A Flood of Sunshine):

“The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread.”

Relationship:
Hester transcends social condemnation, acquiring moral strength. This confirms Bloom: she
converts punishment into power.
 Critical comments from
Researchers and Writers
Nina Baym: pioneer in the study of American women writers.

“Hester represents a critique of the patriarchal order, as she

survives with dignity in a system that tries to nullify it.”
 Excerpts from the Book
Excerpt (Chapter V – Hester at Her Needle):

“She had in her nature a rich, voluptuous, Oriental characteristic—a taste for the gorgeously
beautiful.”

Relationship:
Hawthorne attributes to Hester an aesthetic sense and sensuality repressed by Puritan society. This
reinforces Baym's feminist analysis.
 Critical comments from
Researchers and Writers
Sacvan Bercovitch: was the Powell M. Cabot Professor of American
Literature, Emeritus, and maintained an office at the Widener
Library.

“The letter A is a polysemic sign, ranging from adultery to angelicity,

passing through able, reflecting the complexity of Puritan morality.”
 Excerpts from the Book

Excerpt (Chapter XIII – Another Vision of Hester):

“The scarlet letter did not do its job. It did not crush her spirit.”

Relationship:
Punishment doesn't destroy Hester; on the contrary, it strengthens her. This confirms Bercovitch:
the lyrics change meaning—from sin to dignity.
 Cultural Aspects
Summary
Puritan Society: Very strict religion controlled people’s lives in Boston (1600s).

Punishment and Shame: People were punished in public. Hester had to wear the red “A.”

Women’s Role: Women were judged harder than men.

Society vs. Person: Society’s rules were stronger than personal freedom.

Symbols: The red “A” first meant Adultery, later people saw it as Able (strong).
 Connections
17th Century –
Captain John Smith, The General History of Virginia

Smith shows colonial life and survival.

Hawthorne also writes about the colonial time, but he focuses on religion and rules.

Connection: Both show the beginnings of America, but from different sides
(adventure vs. morality).
 Connections
18th Century –
Almanacs (like Benjamin Franklin’s)

Almanacs gave advice about how to live well.

In The Scarlet Letter, we see how too many strict rules can hurt people.

Connection: Almanacs = teach rules. Hawthorne = shows the danger of too many rules.
 Connections
18th Century –
American Revolution

The Revolution was about freedom and independence.

Hester also looks for personal freedom inside a strict society.

Connection: America wanted freedom from England; Hester wanted freedom from judgment.
 Connections
19th Century-
Authors

Writers like Hawthorne, Poe, Emerson, Thoreau, Melville wrote about human nature,
morality, freedom.

The Scarlet Letter is part of this movement, asking questions about sin, guilt, and identity.

Connection: Hawthorne shows the inner struggles of people just like other 19th-century
writers.
 Lesson Plan
Goals:

Learn about American culture, history, and vocabulary while reading a short part of the book.

warm up: Show a picture of the red “A”.

Ask students:

“What do you think it means?”

“How do people get punished today?”

 Lesson Plan
Context:

Short explanation about Puritans:

Very strict religion in 1600s Boston.

People had to follow many rules.

Punishments were public.

 Lesson Plan
Reading :
Give students a short adapted text (Hester on the scaffold).

Example words to teach:

shame, guilt, punishment, freedom, society.

Discussion:
Why was Hester punished?

Was it fair?

How is it different from today?

 Lesson Plan
Activity:
Students create a modern symbol for a mistake today (like the red “A”).

Draw it and write 1–2 sentences in English:

“This symbol means …”

Share with classmates.

Example: A broken clock = someone always late.

 Conclusion
The Scarlet Letter is more than just a story about punishment and sin in Puritan New
England—it is a reflection on human nature, guilt, and resilience. Through Hester’s
strength, Dimmesdale’s hidden struggle, and Chillingworth’s descent into revenge,
Hawthorne shows the consequences of judgment, secrecy, and obsession.

Even today, the novel remains relevant because it challenges us to think about morality,
forgiveness, and how society treats those who break its rules. Hester Prynne’s
transformation of shame into dignity continues to make her one of the most powerful
heroines in American literature.
 References
AGARWAL, Jai. The Scarlet Letter. SlideShare, 2012. Disponível em:
https://pt.slideshare.net/jaiagarwaljsr/the-scarlet-letter-13828599#4.

BOSTON ATHENÆUM. Nathaniel Hawthorne. Disponível em:

https://bostonathenaeum.org/news/nathaniel-hawthorne/.

ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA. Nathaniel Hawthorne. Disponível em:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nathaniel-Hawthorne.

ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA. The Scarlet Letter (novel by Hawthorne). Disponível em:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Scarlet-Letter-novel-by-Hawthorne.
 References
HARVARD GAZETTE. Sacvan Bercovitch (1933–2014). 2014. Disponível em:
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/12/sacvan-bercovitch-1933-2014.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS. Nina Baym passes away. 2018. Disponível em:

https://english.illinois.edu/news/nina-baym-passes-away.

WIKIPEDIA. Harold Bloom. Disponível em:

https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Bloom.

WIKIPEDIA. Nathaniel Hawthorne. Disponível em:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Hawthorne.