The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne was published on this day March 16, 1850, according to “History.com.” At the time most books were bounded by hand, making The Scarlet Letter one of the first mass-produced books in America. An estimated 2,500 copies were printed and sold out within days, a best-seller for sure.
Some references cite that Nathaniel Hawthorne only netted $1,500 for his work. Today, looking at the price of just one First Edition, you are looking at draining your bank account of more than $20,000.
A search on Amazon you will find several versions featuring several different cover designs all containing the title The Scarlet Letter but not the subtitle for the book The Scarlet Letter: A Romance. The book is rich in themes and symbolism.
An essay precedes the novel called “The Custom-House Introductory to The Scarlet Letter.” This helps provide context to the novel as it describes society during the time.
Many adaptations can be found in film, television, and plays. Plus a published manga where the scarlet ‘A’ is the only colorized text.
In high school, this was required reading and one of the few books I actually read for class. But I had help. With a less than fully developed internet that we have today, I had to rely on CliffsNotes Study Guide. I would read a chapter and then read the CliffsNotes to understand it all. I’m sure I didn’t appreciate the novel as much as I would today.
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