The Scarlet Letter published in 1850, is set in Puritan New
England in the 17th century. Exploring the issues of
grace,
legalism,
and guilt, it tells the story of Hester Prynne,
a
Puritan woman who commits adultry then struggles to create a new life.
"Introduction:The Custom House" This introduction provides a frame for the main narrative of The Scarlet Letter. The nameless narrator, who shares quite a few traits with the book’s author, takes a post as the “chief executive officer,” or surveyor, of the Salem Custom House. This section introduces us to the narrator and establishes his desire to contribute to American culture
This first chapter contains little in the way of action, instead setting the scene and introducing the first of many symbols that will come to dominate the story.
The narrator introduces the reader to Hester Prynne and begins to explore the theme of sin, along with its connection to knowledge and social order.
In the crowd that surrounds the scaffold, Hester suddenly spots her husband,who sent her to America but never fulfilled his promise to follow her.
Hester and her husband come face to face for the first time when he is called to her prison cell to provide medical assistance.
The narrator covers the events of the years after Hester’s imprisonment.
Hester’s one consolation is her daughter, Pearl, who is described in great detail in this chapter.