Scarlet Letter, a Romance
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Used
- very good
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Very Good
- Seller
-
Cotuit, Massachusetts, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Synopsis
The Scarlet Letter: A Romance (1850) is considered the American author Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'masterwork.' A work of historical fiction set in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Puritan settlement of 1642-1949 itells the story of Hester Prynne, who after having a child as a result of an extra-marital affair attempts to live a life of repentance and dignity although she is marked by having to wear a Scarlett A on her person. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt. The Scarlett Letter was one of the first mass-produced novels in the United States, prior printing of books generally done by hand. The 2,500 copies first printed sold out in days, and the mass-production of books opened up conversation about books and authors to a wider-audience on a national level. The first edition of The Scarlet Letter sold out in ten days and “made Hawthorne’s fame, changed his fortune and gave to our literature its first symbolic novel a year before the appearance of Melville’s Moby-Dick” (Bradley). Although an instant best-seller, the books sales over fourteen years only brought the author $1500.
Read More: Identifying first editions of Scarlet Letter, a Romance
Reviews
An absolute criticism of Puritan society. Hawthorne portrays the hypocritic sides of the society by pointing its discrepancies and ill-interpreted biblical sides deeds. He also shows that the society was not working in the name of god as stated; instead worked for a group of people (especially powerful) that keep the lines in hand.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Isaiah Thomas Books (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 11001
- Title
- Scarlet Letter, a Romance
- Author
- Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Format/Binding
- Leather
- Book Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Edition
- First Edition; First Printing
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Ticknor, Reed and Fields
- Place of Publication
- Boston
- Date Published
- 1850
Terms of Sale
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Isaiah Thomas Books
About Isaiah Thomas Books
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- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
- Raised Band(s)
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- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- First State
- used in book collecting to refer to a book from the earliest run of a first edition, generally distinguished by a change in some...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
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This Book’s Categories
- Fiction & Literature Fiction by Region American Fiction
- Fiction & Literature Classic Literature
- Fiction & Literature Historical Fiction
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