Annotated Bibliography

Reid, Bethany. "Narrative of the Captivity and Redemption of Roger Prynne: Rereading 
             The Scarlet Letter." The Scarlet Letter and Other Writings: Authoritative 
             Texts, Contexts, Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2005. 558-576. 
             Print.
-This essay has to do with Roger Prynne and his decision to remain silent or reticent about his uncordial marriage with Hester Prynne, and how he remains ambivalent towards Pearl and his wife. Bethany brings up Nathaniel's relationship with his father or lack thereof, and provides an explanation as to why the novel is ambiguous. There is interesting information as to why the ending scene in the Novel is ambiguous. It has to do with Chilingsworth struggle compared to the other characters in the book, and how Nathaniel's beliefs are intertwined.
             "Via this refusal to name, Hawthorne inscribes not a father so much, or fathers, as his own inconquerable ambvialence toward them" (576).
             "Although generations of readers have assumed that she shares the A with Dimmesdale, should we assume that Puritan Boston would lay to rest even their able, angelic adulteress beside their late, beloved pastor?" (575)
             "But wouldn't Puritan Boston more likely burry Hester beside the man who--is endowing her daughter--has named himself 'husband,' and named himself 'Roger Prynne'? The A would then symbolize the importance of the letter of the law" (575).
              "Chillingworth fails to understand the nature of his own tragedy" (570).
              "Chillingworth, too, is loyal: he will remain by Hester's side until death parts them" (569).

Hawthorne, Nathaniel, and Leland S. Person. The Scarlet Letter and Other Writings:
               Authoritative Texts, Contexts, Criticism. First ed. New York: W.W.
               Norton &, 2005. Print. A Norton Critical Edition.



Bercovitch, Sacvan. "The A-Politics of Ambiguity in the Scarlet Letter." The Scarlet Letter and Other Writings:Authoritative Texts, Contexts, Criticism. First ed. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2005. 576-97. Print. A Norton Critical Edition.