* Hawthorne's classic takes place during the early days of ' the Massachusetts Colony, revealing the consequences of sin and secrecy on the human heart. The tale is peopled with unforgettable characters---Hester Prynne, the adulteress forced to wear a scarlet letter 'A'; Arthur Dimmesdale, the secret father of her child; and Roger Chillingworth, Hester's husband who exacts revenge on the conscience-stricken cleric. Softcover.