Nina Baym

A dark tale of love, crime, and revenge set in colonial New England, The scarlet letter revolves around a forbidden act of passion that alters the lives of three members of a Puritan community: Hester Prynne, who is forced to wear the letter "A" and bears the punishment of her sin in humble silence; the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, a respected minister who is tormented by hidden guilt; and the malevolent Roger Chillingworth, Hester's vengeful husband....