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297 The Scarlet Letter

The History of Literature

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The Harshness of Hester Prynne

The author of the novel, Nathaniel Hawthorne, says Hester Prynne was too harsh and judgmental for her time. He writes that she should have been branded with hot iron on her forehead as a symbol of slut-shaming. The book is set in New England where women were close to Queen Elizabeth II; their diet was all beef and ale. In our own day, we value sex appeal but treat sex like it's something to be ashamed of - especially for women.

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