红字：The Scarlet Letter（英文朗读版）

TherecouldnotbeamoreperfectworkoftheAmericanimaginationthanTheScarletLetter.—D.H.Lawrence"Itisbeautiful,admirable,extraordinary;ithasinthehighestdegreethatmeritwhichIhavespokenofasthemarkofHawthorne'sbestthings—anindefinablepurityandlightnessofconception...Onecanoftenreturntoit;itsupportsfamiliarityandhastheinexhaustiblecharmandmysteryofgreatworksofart."—HenryJamesTheScarletLetterisaworkofhistoricalfictionbyAmericanauthorNathanielHawthorne,publishedin1850,andwasaninstantbest-seller.Itisalsooneofthefirstmass-producedbooksinAmerica.SetinPuritanMassachusettsBayColonyduringtheyears1642to1649,thenoveltellsthestoryofHesterPrynnewhoconceivesadaughterthroughanaffairandthenstrugglestocreateanewlifeofrepentanceanddignity.Thebookexploresthemesoflegalism,sin,andguilt.TheScarletLetterwasoneofthefirstmass-producedbooksinAmerica.Itwaspopularwhenfirstpublishedandisconsideredaclassicworktoday.Itinspirednumerousfilm,television,andstageadaptations.CriticshavedescribeditasamasterworkandnovelistD.H.Lawrencecalledita"perfectworkoftheAmericanimagination".