The Critical Response to Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

The collection of documents in this volume silhouettes the ebbs and crests of Hawthorne's literary reputation and the elevation of his first and best-known romance to the rank of masterpiece and classic. Among the early documents reprinted are contemporary news accounts of Hawthorne's dismissal from the Salem Custom House in June 1849, the publisher James T. Fields's anecdotal version of the book's composition history, and a generous sheaf of notices from both American and British newspapers upon its publication in March 1850. Prominent among modern critics whose essays appear are Neal Frank Doubleday, Darrel Abel, and Nina Baym. Also included is a selected bibliography of modern scholarship.