The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne who was a well-known American author wrote The Scarlet Letter in 1850. Nathaniel Hawthorne was from Salem, Massachusetts and when he wanted to write short stories. He was troubled by unhappiness because he wasn't having any success in writing. He then had some success, but then he died a very depressed man. The Scarlet Letter is a novel that greatly reflects the beliefs of the Puritans during his time period. This novel is a classic that hasn't changed much through time and is not really outdated. The setting of the novel took place in the Puritan period, which is from 1620-