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Introduction

The Scarlet Letter (1850) is a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, considered to be his "magnum opus", or most famous work.^[1] Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston, it tells the story of Hester Prynne, who gives birth after committing adultery and struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt.