The Scarlet Letter

Hester Prynne, her infant child in her arms, is found guilty of the sin of adultery. She remains silent in the face of her accusers, refusing to name the father of the child she holds. Her punishment is to forever bear the mark of her sin, a scarlet "A" sewn into all her garments.

This story of love, strength, passion, and the cruelty of man is considered Hawthorne's greatest accomplishment.