The Scarlet LetterBy: Nathaniel Hawthorne Series: Modern Library Classics Introduction by Kathryn Harrison Commentary by Nathaniel Hawthorne, W. D. Howells, and Carl Van Doren A stark tale of adultery, guilt, and social repression in Puritan New England, The Scarlet Letter is a foundational work of American literature. Nathaniel Hawthornes exploration of the dichotomy between the public and private self, internal passion and external convention, gives us the