IN THE SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY PURITAN COMMUNITY OF BOSTON, HESTER PRYNNE IS TRAPPED, FIRST INTO A LOVELESS MARRIAGE AND THEN INTO ADULTERY. WITH THE SCARLET LETTER 'A'-SIGNIFYING AN ADULTERESS-FIXED ON HER BOSOM, SHE IS BROUGHT OUT OF THE PRISON AND MADE TO STAND ON THE SCAFFOLD WITH HER INFANT. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN HESTER, IN SPITE OF BEING PUBLICLY SHAMED BY THE CROWD AND REPEATEDLY URGED BY A YOUNG PRIEST, REFUSES TO REVEAL THE IDENTITY OF HER DAUGHTER'S FATHER? A TALE OF SIN, PUNISHMENT AND ATONEMENT, NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE'S THE SCARLET LETTER EXPOSES THE MORAL RIGIDITY AND DOUBLE STANDARDS OF THE SOCIETY. ONE OF THE FIRST MASS-PRODUCED BOOKS IN AMERICA, IT BECAME AN INSTANT BESTSELLER ON ITS FIRST PUBLICATION IN 1850. IT CONTINUES TO REMAIN HAWTHORNE'S MASTERWORK.