Take a photo of a barcode or cover
borborygm 's review for:
The Scarlet Letter
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Obviously dated views but interesting from historical perspective. Hester is a strong sympathetic character. I don't think there's another in the book. Gets bogged down with descriptive prose, some amusing, some not. For an amusing example, regarding the evil Chillingworth:
"Would not the earth, quickened to an evil purpose by hitherto unknown, that would start up under his fingers? Or might it something deleterious and malignant at his touch? Did the sun, which shone so brightly everywhere else, really fall upon him? Or was there, as it rather seemed, a circle of ominous shadow moving along with his deformity, whichever way he turned himself? And whither was he now going? Would he not suddenly sink into the earth, leaving a barren and blasted spot, where, in due course of time, would be seen deadly nightshade, dogwood, henbane, and whatever else of vegetable wickedness the climate could produce, all flourishing with hideous luxuriance? Or would he spread bat's wings and flee away, looking so much the uglier, the higher he rose toward heaven."
The dramatic death is about as realistic as witches.
One question - why does Hester tell Dimmesdale "That old man! - the physician! - he whom they call Roger Chillingsworth! - he was my husband!" He is STILL her husband at that moment, is he not?
"Would not the earth, quickened to an evil purpose by hitherto unknown, that would start up under his fingers? Or might it something deleterious and malignant at his touch? Did the sun, which shone so brightly everywhere else, really fall upon him? Or was there, as it rather seemed, a circle of ominous shadow moving along with his deformity, whichever way he turned himself? And whither was he now going? Would he not suddenly sink into the earth, leaving a barren and blasted spot, where, in due course of time, would be seen deadly nightshade, dogwood, henbane, and whatever else of vegetable wickedness the climate could produce, all flourishing with hideous luxuriance? Or would he spread bat's wings and flee away, looking so much the uglier, the higher he rose toward heaven."
The dramatic death is about as realistic as witches.
One question - why does Hester tell Dimmesdale "That old man! - the physician! - he whom they call Roger Chillingsworth! - he was my husband!" He is STILL her husband at that moment, is he not?