Nathaniel Hawthorne 8 July 1804 – 18 May 1864

Born 8 July 1804 in Salem, Mass. – Puritan ancestry – grandfather was Judge Hathorne at the Salem Witch Trials. 1808 – sea-captain father died of yellow fever – family goes into seclusion Bowdoin College (1821-1825) – friends with Longfellow and Franklin Pierce (would become President)

1825-1837 – considered a time of literary apprenticeship – living as a recluse in mother’s home in a “dismal chamber on the third floor.” Joined Brook Farm for a summer but did not like the socialist ideals 1842 – married Sophia Peabody – two daughters (Una, Rose) and a son Julian. 18 May 1864 - Died in his sleep in a hotel room while on a trip with Pierce – he was 60 – Emerson was a pall-bearer – is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery between Lexington and Concord, Mass.

Publishing Record: 1828-1848 – most short stories and tales published anonymously in gift books and magazines. 1837 – Twice-Told Tales well liked 1842 – second edition of Twice-Told Tales gets a positive review from Poe. 1847 – another positive review from Poe calling him a man of genius. 1850 – The Scarlet Letter – first symbolic novel in America – traces the effect of one sin on the lives of four people.

1851 – The House of the Seven Gables – theme concerns the sins of the fathers being passed to succeeding generations. 1851 – The Snow Image is Hawthorne’s fourth and final collection of tales 1852-1853 – children’s literature 1853-1857 – consul to London for Pierce – keeping notebooks of travels in Europe which will be published after his death. Loved allegory – characters often represent moral or spiritual concepts.

Favorite Symbols for Hawthorne: Imagery of fine arts, pictures, statues, jewelry, dress, and costume. His Puritan ancestry would have meant these things were rarely part of his life. Imagery of disease and physical affliction like birthmarks, scars, deformities, etc. Imagery of social life – banquets, balls, weddings, town meetings, etc. Lived as a recluse for many years so this was not part of his life either. He seems haunted by ideas of warm, cheery gatherings.

Hawthorne’s Themes and Insights: Evil exists and is inherent in human nature – death is the only escape. The worst sin is to be selfish and prideful. It is a sin to separate oneself from fellow man as there is a tendency to hold oneself not only aloof but also superior. Pride in one’s intellect is the deadliest of sins – it is wrong to focus on learning at the expense of emotions and relationships with other people. Only love can right what is wrong; evil and sin will never be erased but they can be atoned for.