storie delle colonie – La Lettera Scarlatta

The Scarlet Letter (1850)by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) is a novel set in Massachusetts, a settlement in North America where people followed the Puritan belief.

The story is about a young woman, Hester Prynne from Boston, who is condemned publicly for having committed adultery. She must stay on the scaffold ( = patibolo) for an hour with her child, Pearl, in her arms and wear a scarlet letter on her gown at all times. She has embroidered (= ricamato) a beautiful “A” on her corset. In the crowd in front of the scaffold she her husband – thought dead for years (= ritenuto morto) – Roger Chillingworth.

The years pass. Hester and Pearl live outside the town. She gets her living (=si guadagna da vivere) embroidering and sewing (= ricamando e cucendo) clothing for the townspeople and often spends her time helping the poor and sick (= i poveri e gli ammalati). Pearl grows up very lively. Roger Chillingworth – who makes people think he is a physician (= medico) – goes to live in the same home as Arthur Dimmesdale, an ill minister (= prete). When Chillingworth discovers that Dimmesdale is the true father of Pearl, he starts tormenting Dimmesdale whose health worsen. (= la cui salute peggiora). Hester understands and confronts (= affronta) Chillinggworth. He tells her he knows the truth (= verità) and that wants to make the priest’s life an hell. (= vuole rendere un inferno la vita delprete)

Hester tells Dimmesdale Chillingworth’s true identity and together they decide to leave on board of a ship, but unfortunately Chillingworth discovers their plans. On the morning of their departure, after the Election Sermon, Dimmesdale calls Hester and Pearl to come with him on the scaffold. Chillingworth tries to stop him, but Dimmesdale laughs and tells him that he cannot win.

Hester and Pearl join Dimmesdale on the scaffold. Dimmesdale reveals the people the truth and opens his shirt: there is a scarlet letter on his flesh. Then he falls to his knees and dies. Chillingworth dies shortly thereafter.

Hester and Pearlgo to Europe for many years. When Hester returns she is without her daughter. Probably Pearl has married a man in Europe. Hester continues to receive letters from a man of great means (= un uomo ricco) for the rest of her life. She lives a long life, helping many troubled women. When she dies, Hester is buried (= è sepolta) next to Dimmesdale’s grave. On the tombstone (= pietra tombale) there are the words: “On a Field , Sable (= nero) , the Letter A, Gules (= rossa).” (sullo sfondo, nero, la lettera A, rossa)