What is scarlet letter meaning?

The Scarlet Letter is a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, first published in 1850. It is set in 17th century Puritan Boston, Massachusetts, and tells the story of Hester Prynne, a woman who is branded with a scarlet letter "A" for committing adultery. The Scarlet Letter represents Hester's sin, shame, and the social stigma attached to her.

The scarlet letter is also a symbol of the Puritan society's strict religious and moral codes, which forced the people to repress their natural desires and instincts. Hester is punished for her human frailty and passion by the society, and she is forced to wear the scarlet letter as a symbol of her shame and sin.

On the other hand, the scarlet letter also represents Hester's resilience, strength, and independence. She refuses to be defined by the society's judgement and instead chooses to wear the scarlet letter with pride and defiance, challenging the society's rigid gender roles and expectations.

Overall, the scarlet letter stands as a powerful symbol for the novel's themes of sin, guilt, shame, redemption, and the tension between personal freedom and societal norms.