Cover of The Scarlet Letter
Historical Fiction

The Scarlet Letter

by

    Read freeFind in a library

    Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is a historical fiction novel. Key subjects include Adultery, revenge, married women and Clergy.

    On Project Gutenberg it was downloaded 40,216 times in the last 30 days.

    It is in the public domain in the United States and free to read on Project Gutenberg.

    About The Scarlet Letter

    "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a historical novel published in 1850. Set in Puritan Massachusetts during the 1640s, it follows Hester Prynne, who bears a child out of wedlock and must wear a scarlet "A" as punishment for adultery. While she refuses to name the father, her long-lost husband arrives in town seeking revenge. The story explores themes of sin, guilt, and redemption as secrets threaten to destroy lives in this unforgiving community.
    Summary from Project Gutenberg (automatically generated)

    Themes, setting & tropes

    Genres

    Subjects

    • Adultery
    • Historical fiction
    • Revenge
    • Psychological fiction
    • Married women
    • Clergy
    • Triangles, Interpersonal relations
    • Illegitimate children
    • Women immigrants
    • Puritans
    • Boston, Mass., History, Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775

    Quick answers

    Who wrote The Scarlet Letter?

    The Scarlet Letter was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

    What genre is The Scarlet Letter?

    It is usually shelved as Historical Fiction.

    Is The Scarlet Letter free to read?

    Yes. It is in the public domain in the United States and can be read free on Project Gutenberg in EPUB, Kindle and HTML formats.

    What books are similar to The Scarlet Letter?

    Readers who like it often enjoy The Great Gatsby, Jude the Obscure and Le Comte de Monte-Cristo, II.

    More by Nathaniel Hawthorne

    All books →

    Books like The Scarlet Letter