'Human Life in the Market Place': An Examination of the Economics of The Scarlet Letter.
While universally recognized by scholars as a brilliant literary achievement, it is unclear whether Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter should be used as a tool in attempting to understand some of the day-to-day challenges and routines which defined certain aspects of the Puritan culture in the mid-17th century. This paper will examine the case for using The Scarlet Letter as a guide to some of the financial issues of this era. This paper will present arguments both supporting and opposing the legitimacy of utilizing The Scarlet Letter as an historically significant economic document. A review of economic information will be culled from the text. Finally this paper will assess the overall importance and relevance of The Scarlet Letter to the collective body of economic history. 4 pgs. 2 f/c. 0b.
