Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston, Hester Prynne gives birth to an illegitimate child and is condemned to wear the scarlet letter 'A' as a sign of her adultery. Hester refuses to reveal the identity of her lover, and is forced to lead a life of humiliation. Meanwhile, Hester's husband settles in Boston and after making her swear to keep his identity secret, tries to discover who Hester's secret lover is.