The Critical Response To Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter: (Critical Responses In Arts And Letters)

The Critical Response to Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter: (Critical Responses in Arts and Letters)

The Scarlet Letter is virtually unique among works of American fiction because it has not lapsed from print in over 140 years. The history of its reception, which is fully articulated in the volume introduction, may be read as a case study in canon formation. The collection of documents in the volume outline the highs and lows of Nathaniel Hawthorne's literary reputation and the elevation of his first and best-known romance to the rank of masterpiece and classic. Also included is a selective bibliography of modern scholarship.