The Scarlet Letter (1850)
0.2370Canon Score · ranked #58 all time
Aggregated from 6 of 14 authoritative lists, weighted by authority and adjusted for each list's scope and age. How scoring works →
About the book
A stark and allegorical tale of adultery, guilt, and social repression in Puritan New England, The Scarlet Letter is a foundational work of American literature. Nathaniel Hawthorne's exploration of the dichotomy between the public and private self, internal passion and external convention, gives us the unforgettable Hester Prynne, who discovers strength in the face of ostracism and emerges as a heroine ahead of her t
Why it ranks #58
Every list on which The Scarlet Letter appears, with its position as published.
| List | Authority | Position |
|---|---|---|
| OCLC/WorldCat Top 500 Novels (2019) | Editorial list | #10 / 500 |
| The Novel 100 (Burt) | Editorial list | #41 / 100 |
| Guardian 1000 Novels (2009) | Critics' canon | Selected |
| 1001 Books You Must Read (union) | Critics' canon | Selected |
| Bloom, The Western Canon (1994) | Editorial list | Selected |
| Observer 100 Greatest Novels (2003) | Editorial list | Selected |