The Scarlet Letter : Key info
The Scarlet Letter is a notable literary work by Nathaniel Hawthorne. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, to various questions of The Scarlet Letter.
Key info
Writer: Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-64)
Written Time: 1848-50
Published date: 1850.
Genre: Historical fiction
Meaning of the Title: The Scarlet Letter means the reddish letter. And “A” stands for Adultery. That is, in the Puritan society, when someone committed adultery, the punishment for adultery was written on his chest with the letter “A” enlarged in red ink.
Themes: 1) Identity and Society 2) female independence 3) guilt 4) Nature versus Society 5) Empathy
Setting: Time Setting: Boston in the 1600s
Place Setting: Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Background
At this time in 1640, the American city of Boston was occupied by the Puritans. They were working to enforce religious discipline in all spheres, from state to social. Puritans were strictly religious. Their motto was four,
- Only for God
- Only for God’s grace
- Only for Bible
- Only for Jesus Christ
The Church of England was established during the Elizabethan period. They were called Anglicans. And from this Anglican Belief arose a kind of radical religious belief called the Puritans. John Milton was a Puritan. Nathaniel Hawthorne grew up in a Puritan family. However, he highly criticized the radical Puritans. In this novel, he highlights the corruption and character traits of those associated with the Puritan Church in particular.