Part I: Chapters 1-5
The novel begins in Boston in the seventeenth century with a large crowd of Puritans standing outside a worn prison door. The mood is dark, gray, and solemn, except for a single red rosebush whose color and smell seem to take one’s mind past the otherwise dismal atmosphere. A group of women surrounding the door seem upset by the circumstances of the situation. A crime of adultery had been committed in the community and the women were dissatisfied with the consequences the woman was to face for her punishment. Hester Prune, the guilty woman, was to wear an embroidered “A” on her gown. Many felt the punishment should have been harsher. Hester, more beautiful than ever, emerges from the jail with her baby girl, Pearl, in her arms. Hester is filed with shame and guilt as she is forced to stand on a scaffold in front of mocking onlookers and listen to Reverend Wilson’s sermon preaching the evils of her sin. While facing this humiliation, Hester recognizes a slightly deformed man in the crowd who evidently recognizes her as well. Hester is urged by both Reverend Wilson and Reverend Dimmesdale to reveal her accomplice, the man with whom she had her affair, but she refuses to do so. When Hester returns to her cell, she is visited by a physician named Roger Chillingworth, the same man whom she had recognized in the crowd earlier that day. It is then understood that he is Hester’s husband. Chillingworth partially blames himself for Hester’s adultery due to the fact that he, an old man, married such a young beautiful woman. At the same time, he warns Hester he will find Pearl’s father and makes her promise not to reveal his identity. Instead of fleeing the Puritan community when she is released from prison, Hester moves into a small cottage, supporting herself and Pearl through her talent for needlework. The demand for her garments does not keep the townspeople from treating Hester as a social outcast that is to frowned upon. Hester feels the scarlet letter allows her to sense the sins of those around her, and to see beyond the common upstanding morality that society has always taught her.

Part II: Chapters 6-10
Baby Pearl is her mother’s greatest treasure, and at the same time, the greatest symbol of her sin. Pearl is a strange impish child who, like her mother, is separated from the rest of society. When she does come in contact with other children, she quickly scares them away by such actions as throwing rocks. Pearl is immensely fascinated by her mother’s scarlet letter. Hester worries that Pearl is possessed by a fiend that keeps her from acting as a normal child. Hester learns that there is talk of taking Pearl away from her, and as a result, she goes to speak with Governor Bellingham. While Hester and Pearl are at the Governor’s mansion, Hester sees a suit of armor that distorts the scarlet letter, making it appear bigger than it really is. Hester finds the Governor in the company of Reverend Wilson, Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. When tested of her knowledge of the Puritan beliefs, Pearl replied she was not made, but rather "plucked.......of the bush of wild roses." While Wilson is ready to take Pearl away, Dimmesdale makes a strong argument in Hester’s favor and convinces the rest of the men to allow Hester to keep Pearl as both a blessing and reminder of her sin. On her way out, Hester is met by Mistress Hibbins, the Governor’s sister, and rejects her invitation to a meeting of witches later that evening. Roger Chillingwoth takes the position of Arthur Dimmesdale’s physician and becomes quite close to the minister. There are rumors of the physician having connections to hell and Satan himself. Chillingworth begins to see a connection between Dimmesdale and Pearl and starts to pry at this hidden sin in Dimmesdale’s heart. As Dimmesdale is sleeping, Chillingworth opens his garments to reveal a symbol on the man’s chest, assuring the physician that he had found his guilty suspect.

Part III: Chapters 11-14
Now that Chillingworth has found out that Dimmesdale is Pearl’s father, he begins to torture the man. As Dimmesdale endures this suffering, he becomes physically weak and emotionally distraught over his guilt. He even beats himself as form of personal punishment. At the same time, his sermons become more vibrant and he begins to gather tremendous acclaim from his congregation. When Dimmesdale comes out and admits his sin, it is taken as an even greater example of his holiness. Finally, the pain becomes to much for Dimmesdale and he goes to Hester’s spot of shame on the scaffold. After being unnoticed by Reverend Wilson coming back from visiting the dying Reverend Wintrop, Dimmesdale sees Hester and Pearl who, when asked, join him on the platform. Pearl asks the minister whether he will join them at noon the next day and Dimmesdale replies he will be there with them on the "great judgement day." Standing with his family, Dimmesdale is able to release some of his guilt and for the first time in a long time, feel alive. At this moment, a letter A appears in the sky. Hester’s charity allows her letter to take on the new meaning of "Able." This does not, however, fulfill her desire for love and affection. Seeing the guilt that Chillingworth was creating for Dimmesdale, Hester goes to talk to Chillingworth. She finds a man entrapped by the devil’s works, and being released of her promise of silence, sets off to try and fix the oppression she has brought on Dimmesdale.

Part IV: Chapters 15- 18
As Hester talks to Chillingworth, Pearl occupies herself in the forest. Trying to imitate her mother, Pearl creates a green letter A on her bosom out of seaweed. Curious by the meaning of the letter, Pearl asks Hester to explain it. Instead of telling Pearl the truth, Hester lies and says she wears it for "the sake of the gold thread." Pearl persistently seeks for a more legitimate answer, but Hester forbids her to speak of the matter any longer. Hester leads Pearl into the forest in hopes of speaking to Dimmesdale about Chillingworth’s motives. Hester tells Pearl to "run and catch the sunshine," but the sunshine disappears as Hester attempts to feel its glory. Hester finally tells Pearl that the scarlet letter is the black man’s mark. Hester tries to console Dimmesdale and eventually admits that Chillingworth is her husband. Hester, most definitely in love with Dimmesdale, pleads for his forgiveness. Although initially angry, Dimmesdale reconciles with Hester, finally realizing Chillingworth’s true evil nature. In the seclusion and freedom of the forest, the couple makes a plan to leave the Puritan community and run away together back to England. Dimmesdale doubts his ability to carry out this journey, but is encouraged by Hester’s words in which she assures him that he can still live a meaningful life on Earth. To show her support in starting over, Hester lets down her hair and takes off the scarlet letter. While all this is happening, Pearl seems in her element with nature. Seeing Pearl across the brook, Hester calls for her to come over to them.

Part V: Chapters 19-21
Pearl is hesitant to cross the brook, which acts as a barrier between the natural world and that of the Puritan Society. After throwing a huge fit, Pearl obliges Hester and comes to her side. She only does this, however, after Hester re-attaches the scarlet letter to her bosom. Dimmesdale gives Pearl a kiss on the cheek out of love, but she quickly washes it off, staying as far away from the minister as she can. Dimmesdale leaves the forest as a different person. As Dimmesdale meets up with members of his congregation, he is tempted to do evil deeds. He must restrain himself from speaking blasphemy to a deacon, making a sacrilegious argument against the oldest women in his congregation, giving an evil eye to a sweet virgin, and teaching bad words to young children of the community. Mrs. Hibbins invites Dimmesdale to join her in the forest, but he acts cold to the witch woman. Dimmesdale refuses the medicine that Chillingworth has prescribed and begins to write a new Election Sermon. When Hester and Pearl arrive at the market place to listen to Dimmesdale’s Election Sermon, Pearl, once again, asks if the minister will join them. Hushing her daughter, Hester learns from the Captain of the ship she is about to board that Roger Chillingworth will be accompanying them on the voyage to England.

Part VI: Chapters 22-24
As Dimmesdale walks through the crowd during the Election Day procession, you notice a new and confident skip in his stride. While observing Dimmesdale’s new persona, Hester feels scarcely connected with her lover and Pearl cannot recognize the minister. Mrs. Hibbins tells Hester and Pearl that Dimmesdale has a token of the scarlet letter that’s similar to that of Hester. As Dimmesdale begins his sermon, Hester can recognize the pain and anguish below his vibrant and exhilarating words. Hester learns that Chillingworth had booked a room on the ship for both he and Reverend Dimmesdale, making her even more anxious about the couple’s proposed plan. After the Election Sermon, Dimmesdale’s confident stature is replaced by fear and longing, despite the respect and admiration he has gained from his congregation. On the way to celebrate his success, Dimmesdale stops, and taking Hester’s hand, steps on the scaffold to admit his crime and reveal the scarlet letter on his chest. At the same time, Chillingworth tries desperately to stop him. Pearl kisses Dimmesdale and finally, becomes truly human. When Hester asks Dimmesdale whether they will be with one another in heaven, he replies it is all in God’s hands. After uttering his last farewell, Dimmesdale dies. There are several explanations to what happened in the marketplace leading up to Dimmesdale’s death. Most people say they saw an A imprinted on the man’s chest. Some say the minister put it there, some say Chillingworth’s drugs caused it, and others think it was an external sign of Dimmesdale’s conscious. The lesson taught is “ Be true!” Chillingworth dies and leaves his property to Pearl, who moves to England with Hester. Hester eventually comes back to her cottage and lives out the remainder of her days with the scarlet letter as a symbol of help and hope against the strict Puritan laws. Instead of the Puritan colors of scarlet and gray, Hester embroiders baby garments for Pearl’s baby out of luxurious gold material symbolizing new times. When she dies, Hester is buried next to Dimmesdale with the inscription “On a field, sable, the letter A, gules.” This translates to the letter A on a black background.

Author Biography

Historical Context

Themes

Motifs

Symbols

Major Character Analysis

Links

These links will be helpful in allowing you to review sections of the book and vocabulary as well as to learn more about Hawthorne.

The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter Vocabulary
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne Quotations
Writings of Nathaniel Hawthorne