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GATE 2024 XH2 (English) – Question 53

History of English Literature and Literary Studies · English Literary Traditions across Time: Chaucer to contemporary English literature · 2 marks · Multiple select

Which of the following statements about The Scarlet Letter is/are correct?

  1. It was written by Nadine Gordimer.
  2. The “scarlet letter” of the title refers to the letter ‘A’.
  3. It is an epistolary romance.
  4. It was written in the 19th century.

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Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: (B) The “scarlet letter” of the title refers to the letter ‘A’.; (D) It was written in the 19th century.

Explanation

Nathaniel Hawthorne published The Scarlet Letter in 1850. The scarlet “A” (for adulteress) is worn by Hester Prynne. It is not epistolary.