What was happening during The Scarlet Letter?

In June 1642, in the Puritan town of Boston, a crowd gathers to witness an official punishment. A young woman, Hester Prynne, has been found guilty of adultery and must wear a scarlet A on her dress as a sign of shame. Furthermore, she must stand on the scaffold for three hours, exposed to public humiliation.

Why did Hawthorne write The Scarlet Letter in 1850?

The Scarlet Letter: A romance published in 1850, a book of fiction in a historical setting, written by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne’s purpose for writing The Scarlet Letter was so he could reveal the life and hypocrisy of the Puritan communities back in those days.

What event do we learn was happening when Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter?

Although the infamous Salem witch trials had taken place more than 100 years earlier, the events still hung over the town and made a lasting impression on the young Hawthorne.

What is the climax of The Scarlet Letter?

The climax of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter ties together the stories of Roger Chillingworth and his revenge, Hester Prynne and her lover, and of Arthur Dimmesdale and his guilt. Lastly, Dimmesdale’s public confession succeeds in finally releasing him from the crushing weight of a soiled conscience.

How was the old inspector killed in The Scarlet Letter?

As far as I can tell, the most tragic event of the old man’s life was a mishap with a certain goose, which lived and died twenty or forty years ago. The bird looked quite delicious but turned out to be so tough that the carving knife couldn’t cut it, and it had to be tackled with an axe and a saw.

What is the Scarlet A?

13. 4. (historical) A letter A in scarlet cloth required to be worn by those convicted of adultery in 17th-century Puritan New England. noun. The definition of a scarlet letter is an identifying mark or brand placed on someone who has committed adultery.

What is the conclusion of The Scarlet Letter?

In the end, Chillingworth is morally degraded by his monomaniacal pursuit of revenge. Dimmesdale is broken by his own sense of guilt, and he publicly confesses his adultery before dying in Hester’s arms. Only Hester can face the future bravely, as she prepares to begin a new life with her daughter, Pearl, in Europe.