The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne follows Hester Prynne, who commits adultery and bears a child out of wedlock in 17th century Puritan Boston. As punishment, she is forced to wear the letter 'A' on her dress. It is later revealed that the child's father is Arthur Dimmesdale, the town minister. Hester's husband Roger eventually discovers their affair and seeks revenge. Dimmesdale dies after publicly confessing his role in front of the townspeople. The novel examines themes of sin and punishment in Puritan society through the characters of Hester and Dimmesdale.

1. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

4. Characters Two main characters in The Scarlet Letter are Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Hester is the mother of Pearl, and is later revealed to be the lover of Dimmesdale. She is the main character in the novel, and bears the letter A on her dress. Dimmesdale is a minister in Boston. Throughout almost all of the story, the general public doesn't know about his role in the birth of Pearl. However, fairly early on in the story, Hester's uncaring husband returns and finds out about it, and plots his revenge. Dimmesdale dies at the end of the story, and it is discovered that he bears the letter A on his skin.