Nathaniel Hawthorne

Childhood Born July 4, 1804 in Salem, MA Father died when Hawthorne was four years old Sent to private school once his relatives discovered his storytelling abilities Sent to Bowdoin College in Maine

Family History His great-great-grandfather, William Hathorne, ordered the whipping of Anne Coleman and four others in the streets of Salem. His great-grandfather, John Hathorne, was the magistrate (judge) presiding over the trial of the accused witches of Salem (1692).

College in Maine Classmates included Franklin Pierce and Henry Longfellow Pierce- future President of the USA Longfellow- poet, educator, linguist Graduated in 1825

Hawthorne believed in the Devil Hawthorne treats pride as pure evil illustrated in many of his stories Hawthorne’s Puritan background greatly effected his writing The problem of guilt forced by Puritan beliefs is widespread throughout his work The Puritan lifestyle and society is used as the setting for many of his short stories

Reclusive Years in Salem He first anonymously published short stories and a novel, Fanshawe. Hawthorne later formally withdrew most of this early work, discounting it as the work of inexperienced youth. He burned most of his works from these years.

Concord Married to Sophia Peabody in 1842, then moved to the Old Manse in Concord. Joined the writing circles of Thoreau, Emerson, and Louisa May Alcott. The Transcendentalists believed that human existence transcended the sensory realm, and rejected formalism in favor of individual intuition and imagination.

Themes Alienation - a character is in a state of isolation because of self-cause, or societal cause, or a combination of both. Initiation - involves the attempts of an alienated character to get rid of his isolated condition. Problem of Guilt -a character's sense of guilt forced by the puritanical heritage or by society; also guilt vs. innocence. Pride - Hawthorne treats pride as evil.

More Themes in Writing Moral allegories The sinful man Hypocrisy The Dark side of Human Nature

Final Days Returned to Concord from Europe in 1860 Became ill and underwent a loss of literary creativity Journeyed to the White Mountains hoping to restore his health Died in Plymouth, NH on May 19, 1864 Buried in the Sleepy Hollow cemetery in Concord

Who were the Puritans? Wanted a “pure” church  No candles  No Images  No stained glass windows Rejected the “showy” church of England Led very somber lives governed solely by a strict interpretation of the Bible No “nonsense” – dancing, gambling, drama, etc

The Salem Witch Trials May – October 1692: Salem, MA A series of investigations and persecutions that caused 19 “witches” to be hanged and many others imprisoned Period of public hysteria generated by false accusations and coerced confessions

Where was he born? And where is he buried? What was the actual spelling of his last name and why did he change it? What future president did he go to college with? What was his wife’s name? What were some of the major influences that modified Hawthorne’s writing? Describe the Puritans? Review