Project Gutemberg
The Scarlet Letter
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, a classic 1850 novel set in Puritan Massachusetts, begins with an introductory piece (The Custom-House) and the main narrative about Hester Prynne, her scarlet letter, and the moral and social consequences in a rigid community.
Great questions to ask
- Summarize the opening Preface and the setting of the Custom-House chapter.
- Who is the author and what is the publication history noted in the document?
- Explain the role of the 'Custom-House' in the framing of The Scarlet Letter.
The Scarlet Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne