The Witch, the Gossips, & the Madonna: Chapter 2 of The Scarlet Letter

Public shaming is central to The Scarlet Letter, and it's one of the reasons that the story of Hester Pryne feels so relatable to our world today.  In this episode of The Poetry Peddler series on Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Alexandra Barylski - the show's host, a poet, and long time English teacher - explores the psychological effects of public shaming and how women must learn to navigate their public and private lives while learning to avoid (or carry) archetypal female labels.