The Scarlet Letter
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Narrated by:
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Shelly Frasier
About this listen
Hester's husband had been lost at sea years earlier and was presumed dead, but now reappears in time to witness Hester's humiliation on the town scaffold. He becomes obsessed with finding the identity of the man who dishonored his wife. To do so, he assumes a false name, pretends to be a physician and forces Hester to keep his new identity secret. Meanwhile, Hester's lover, the beloved Reverend Dimmesdale, publicly pressures her to name the child's father, while secretly praying that she will not. Hester defiantly protects his identity and reputation, even when faced with losing Pearl, her daughter.
Hailed by Henry James as, "the finest piece of imaginative writing yet put forth in the country", Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is a masterful portrayal of humanity's continuing struggle with sin, guilt, and pride.
Studying Hawthorne? Don't miss the SparkNotes Guide for The Scarlet Letter.Public Domain (P)2002 Tantor Media, Inc. Originally published 1850.Listeners also enjoyed...
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A young man named Anodos experiences dream like adventures in Fairy Land, where he meets tree spirits, endures the presence of the overwhelming shadow, journeys to the palace of the fairy queen, and searches for the spirit of the earth. The story conveys a profound sadness and a poignant longing for death.
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THIS IS LIBRIVOX'S FREE RECORDING
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By: George MacDonald
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A Christmas Carol
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The timeless tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and his adventures on Christmas Eve continue to teach an important lesson, even to this day. Author Charles Dickens introduces us to the main character by painting him in a negative light, a selfish and miserly old man who will barely pay enough money to keep his office heated. When Scrooge returns home after work, the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, visits him and tells him that because of the wrongdoing he had done during his life, he has been condemned to walk in his ghost years shackled....
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A Fine audio Interpretation
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By: Charles Dickens
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Doug Bradley's Spinechillers Audio Books, Volume 1
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This volume features William F Harvey's original undead hand story "The Beast with Five Fingers" that sparked many movies including Sam Raimi's "The Evil Dead". Poe's classic "The Tell Tale Heart" is joined by Lovecraft's creepy tale of alienation "The Outsider", and a chilling Dickens ghost story "The Signalman".
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Excellent stories and wonderful performance
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By: Charles Dickens, and others
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A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
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This quintessential coming-of-age novel describes the early life of Stephen Dedalus. It is set in Ireland during the 19th century, which was a time of emerging Irish nationalism and conservative Catholicism. Highly autobiographical in nature, the work is also notable for its being the first one in which Joyce uses innovative “stream of consciousness” writing style. A Portrait... follows Stephen Dedalus from his babyhood into early adulthood.
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Bitterly disappointed
- By James on 01-29-19
By: James Joyce
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Les Miserables
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Set in the Parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, Les Miserables follows Jean Valjean, originally an honest peasant, who has been imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's starving family. A hardened criminal upon his release, he eventually reforms, becoming a successful industrialist and town mayor. Despite this, he is haunted by an impulsive former crime and is pursued relentlessly by the police inspector Javert.
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one happy insomniac
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The Masque of the Red Death
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Prince Prospero invites several dozen of the local nobility to his castle for protection against an oncoming plague, the Red Death. Prospero orders his guests to attend a masked ball and, amidst a general atmosphere of debauchery and depravity, notices the entry of a mysterious hooded stranger dressed all in red.
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mediocre
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Ben-Hur
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A classic of faith, fortitude, and inspiration, this faithful New Testament tale combines the events of the life of Jesus with grand historical spectacle in the exciting story of Judah of the House of Hur, a man who finds extraordinary redemption for himself and his family. Judah Ben-Hur lives as a rich Jewish prince and merchant in Jerusalem at the beginning of the first century. His old friend, Messala, arrives as commanding officer of the Roman legions.
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Not Like the Movie
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By: Lew Wallace
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abridged unlike pic indicates
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The red letter A on her dress marks young mother Hester Prynne among her Puritan neighbors, who demand to know who fathered her child. Rumors swirl, but the shunned and shamed Hester keeps her secret - and his - for years, until a guilt-ridden confession reveals the truth, with unexpected consequences.
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Ruined by the narration
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missing the introductory???
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Ruined by the narration
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The Scarlet Letter is one of the great classics of American literature. Set in the harsh Puritan environment of 17th-century Boston, it describes the plight of Hester Prynne, an independent-minded woman who stands alone against society. Having given birth to a child after an illicit affair, she refuses to name the father and is forced to wear the letter "A", for Adulteress, embroidered on her dress.
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Nathaniel Hawthorne’s magnum opus exploring the themes of legalism, sin and guilt.
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You get what you pay for.
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The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, magnum opus, tells the story of Hester Prynne, who gives birth two years after separation from her husband and is condemned to wear the scarlet letter A on her breast as punishment for her adultery. She resists all attempts of the 17th century Boston clergy to make her reveal the name of her child’s father while she struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity.
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Trust Me-- Try It!
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Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston, Massachusetts, during the years 1642 to 1649, The Scarlet Letter tells the story of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter through an affair and will not reveal her lover’s identity. The scarlet letter A (for adultery) she has to wear on her clothes, along with her public shaming, is her punishment for her sin and her secrecy. She struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. Throughout the book, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt.
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The Scarlet Letter
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Set in Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony during the years 1642 to 1649, the novel tells the story of Hester Prynne who conceives a daughter through an affair and then struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. Containing a number of religious and historic allusions, the book explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt.
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Performance Ruins a Masterpiece
- By Scott Mendeloff on 01-13-24
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The Scarlet Letter
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Overall
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Story
A tale of betrayal, revenge, loyalty, and redemption, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a true classic. Hester Prynne settles in a little town in Puritan-era Massachusetts while awaiting her husband’s arrival from England. Hester becomes pregnant, exposing her sin in the eyes of the townsfolk. Her penalty: wearing an embroidered A on her bosom for the remainder of her life. When Hester’s husband arrives in the town anticipating a joyous reunion with his young wife, he instead begins a cankering quest to uncover the father of Hester’s child.
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The Scarlet Letter (Dramatized)
- By: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Thomas J. Cox
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- Length: 1 hr and 20 mins
- Original Recording
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Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic masterpiece The Scarlet Letter is set in 17th century Salem, Massachusetts, and concerns the public condemnation of Hester Prynne, who bears an illegitimate child. However, the story is not about adultery, nor is it specifically about sin. Rather it traces the effect of actual and symbolic sin on the mind and spirit of each character.
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why is there only 2 chapters
- By Ladonna on 08-31-17
By: Nathaniel Hawthorne, and others
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The Scarlet Letter
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Story
Considered his masterpiece, The Scarlet Letter is Hawthorne's story of Hester Prynne and her daughter, Pearl, conceived through an adulterous affair with a Puritan pastor in 17th century Boston. From start to finish, the book explores the themes of law, guilt, and sin. Since its appearance in 1850, this magnificent book has been a perennial favorite among young and old, though it was extremely controversial when it was first published.
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Great story, but do not love the narrator
- By Alison on 08-16-14
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The Scarlet Letter
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The Scarlet Letter: A Romance, an 1850 novel, is a work of historical fiction written by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. The book is considered to be his "masterwork." Set in 17th-century Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony, during the years 1642 to 1649, it tells the story of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter through an affair and struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. Throughout the book, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt.
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EXCELLENT!
- By Kellie on 11-28-19
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The Red Badge of Courage
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Young Henry Fleming used to play soldier and dream of being a hero, but when he faces his first battle - the Battle of Chancellorsville - he finds that heroism is not at all what he had expected. Shells burst in front of him like strange flowers, gunfire ripped toward him in great crackling sheets of flame, and all around him, blue-coated figures lie still on the blood-drenched grass. Remarkably, Stephen Crane wrote this realistic tale of the terror of war without ever witnessing a battle.
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A Classic
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Young Goodman Brown
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Story
How long would you walk, if the Devil sauntered up to you of an evening, and journeyed alongside of you? Young Goodman Brown is led by the Devil to a midnight ritual, where fire, blood, and water change his opinions of the nature of humanity.
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Perfect
- By Andrew H. on 09-21-17
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The Scarlet Letter
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Overall
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Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is a masterpiece of American literature. It is a fascinating moral and philosophical study of Puritan New England that details the life and trials of the long-suffering protagonist Hester Prynne who is forced to wear a scarlet A as a sign of her adultery as she navigates life with her impish daughter Pearl, her estranged husband Roger Chillingworth, and the "saintly" minister Arthur Dimmesdale.
What listeners say about The Scarlet Letter
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Primrose
- 03-26-11
A fine reading
Shelly Frasier does fine: clear diction and slow pace, which are appropriate for more challenging prose. But why so many complaints about Hawthorne's language? "Thees and thous"? He was writing in the 1840s, not the 1600s (the era of the fiction, which he emulates in his characters' speech), so it's not that far from our own era. Or is this nation now only capable of reading TV GUIDE listings for the next JERSEY SHORE?
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5 people found this helpful
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- Jeffrey D
- 12-12-20
Deservedly a classic
This is the classic text of scapegoating and what we would now refer to as relational aggression among the Puritans. A powerful novel. The narrator was good, although I disagreed with a few of her pronunciations.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-18-13
Not bad...
Which character – as performed by Shelly Frasier – was your favorite?
Tie. Reverand Dimmesdal and Pearl were my favorites.
If you could rename The Scarlet Letter, what would you call it?
"Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the word 'tremulous' about 800 times."
Any additional comments?
Good reading of a classic. Unfortunately, since Hawthorne's prose wanders like a caffeine addled child, it can be hard to track what's going on at certain points in the narration.
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4 people found this helpful
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- katie
- 02-16-15
Would read again
The narrator talked very slowly so I had to speed it up, the story was great. Although very little actually happened.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Aaron Elliott
- 05-26-07
Hasts and Thous
An amazing early American novel. I have never read before. I actually can't wait to read again. Stongly recommend. It was so good that I wanted to know someone who had just read it so we could talk about it! The reader was very good. Her voice was VERY versatile. The only drawback is with all "hasts and thous" you REALLY have to pay attention to every word...not a good "drivng" book.
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18 people found this helpful
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Overall
- connie
- 02-18-09
doesn't hold up to other period classics
This was my first reading of Scarlet Letter. Canadians aren't as exposed to it in high school/college as Americans. I can see that it endures for its landmark importance in American literature, but I would not have enjoyed the novel for itself had I not just finished Susan Cheever's American Bloomsbury, with its biographical details of Hawthorne's life, especially his relationship with Margaret Fuller whom she postulates as at least partial inspiration for Hester's courage, strength and philosophy.
With Hawthorne's background in mind and several audiobooks on 19th centruy American history recently "read," I enjoyed the lengthy "customs house" sketch/intro more than the rest of the novel.
Eliot and Hardy wrote later in the century than Hawthorne, but not that much later, and they were so much more adept at re-creating earlier periods in their nation's history and mentality. I can't help but wonder if Elizabeth Gaskill read Scarlett Letter before she wrote Ruth, supposedly the first Engish lit novel to tackle the subject of "fallen woman" sympathetically - there seems to be more than one similar character.
Scarlett Letter (not Ruth!) is still worth reading (or re-reading as an adult). This edition was well priced, with acceptable narration for the price- Hawthorne's sentences must be hard work for any narrator.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Trent
- 02-09-11
OK
I had a hard time staying focused on the story. Narrator did not hold my attention, made it a struggle.
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1 person found this helpful
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- KJPollard
- 09-17-24
It was great symbolism
It was interesting to see how all are imperfect and we all fall short of God’s perfect standard that’s why we all need Jesus
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Overall
- Padden
- 10-21-06
The Scarlet Letter
I read the unabridged version of Hawthorn's book and I believe that had I read the abridged version my rating would have been much higher.
The first 1/4 of the book was very boring and not even related to the story to be told, or perhaps I missed the point.
I knew the book would be a tragedy and it met my expectations.
I am not certain but I think I just spelled the author's name incorrectly. I apologize if I did.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Emory
- 04-28-17
Meh
Is there anything you would change about this book?
I know this is considered a classic, but I'm underwhelmed. Perhaps the most annoying thing about it is the heavy-handed symbolism. Honestly, Nathaniel, a meteor that lights up the sky forming a scarlet A? Doesn't that seem a little on-the-nose?
Would you listen to another book narrated by Shelly Frasier?
The narrator isn't bad, although she mispronounces words surprisingly often. This book does use a lot of uncommon words, but that's what dictionaries are for. Also, I found the decision to perform the dialogue, but not the rest of the text, in an English accent (or at least something like one) to be distracting, although I understand why the choice was made.
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