Nathaniel Hawthorne1804-1864

Nathaniel Hawthorne1804-1864

With the publication of The Scarlet Letter, he became famous as the greatest writer living then in U.S.

and his reputation as a major American author has been on increase ever since.

His LifeHis Life Born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1804. Born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1804. Descended from the earliest settlers of the MassachusDescended from the earliest settlers of the Massachus

etts Bay Colony.etts Bay Colony. John Hathorne, one of the judges at the 1692 Salem John Hathorne, one of the judges at the 1692 Salem

witch trials. William Hathorne persecuted the Quakerwitch trials. William Hathorne persecuted the Quakers.s.

Both fascinated and disturbed by his kinship with JohBoth fascinated and disturbed by his kinship with John Hathorne. n Hathorne.

Raised by a widowed mother, attended Bowdoin CollRaised by a widowed mother, attended Bowdoin College in Maine, met two people Henry Wadsworth Longege in Maine, met two people Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Franklin Pierce, the 14th president of the fellow and Franklin Pierce, the 14th president of the United States. United States.

Hawthorne also held positions as an Hawthorne also held positions as an editor and as a customs surveyor.editor and as a customs surveyor.

He participated in the utopian He participated in the utopian experiment at Brook Farm, a experiment at Brook Farm, a commune designed to promote commune designed to promote economic self-sufficiency and economic self-sufficiency and transcendentalist principles. transcendentalist principles.

He married fellow transcendentalist He married fellow transcendentalist Sophia Peabody in 1842 and left Sophia Peabody in 1842 and left Brook Farm and moved into the Old Brook Farm and moved into the Old Manse. Manse.

themesthemes

His works are deeply concerned His works are deeply concerned with with the ethical problems of sin, the ethical problems of sin, punishment, and atonement.punishment, and atonement.

Hawthorne's exploration of these Hawthorne's exploration of these was related to the sense of guilt he was related to the sense of guilt he felt about the roles of his ancestors felt about the roles of his ancestors in the 17th-century persecution of in the 17th-century persecution of Quakers and in the 1692 witchcraft Quakers and in the 1692 witchcraft trials of Salem, Massachusetts.trials of Salem, Massachusetts.

Black vision of human natureBlack vision of human nature: :

He was obsessed by the Calvinistic concept of He was obsessed by the Calvinistic concept of the the original sinoriginal sin. For him, human beings are evil-natured . For him, human beings are evil-natured and sinful and sinful

this sin and evil is ever present in human heart and this sin and evil is ever present in human heart and will pass on from one generation to anotherwill pass on from one generation to another

One source of evil is overweening intellect because One source of evil is overweening intellect because devoid of fellow feelingdevoid of fellow feeling

He symbolizes moral or spiritual disease by the He symbolizes moral or spiritual disease by the disease of the body and accordingly when a person disease of the body and accordingly when a person commits any sin, it might appear in some form on commits any sin, it might appear in some form on the body.the body.

1. Quakers: The Religious Society of Friends, 1. Quakers: The Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as the Quakers, was founded in commonly known as the Quakers, was founded in England in the 17th century as a Christian religious England in the 17th century as a Christian religious denomination by people who were dissatisfied with denomination by people who were dissatisfied with the existing denominations and sects of Christianity..the existing denominations and sects of Christianity..

2. Persecution of Quakers: In and around Salem, 2. Persecution of Quakers: In and around Salem, Massachusetts the Quakers are harassed, beaten, Massachusetts the Quakers are harassed, beaten, deported, and sometimes even hanged for what they deported, and sometimes even hanged for what they believebelieve..

Notes:

3. 3. 1692 witchcraft trails: (May – October 1692) American 1692 witchcraft trails: (May – October 1692) American colonial persecutions for witchcraft. colonial persecutions for witchcraft.

In the town of Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony, several young In the town of Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony, several young girls, stimulated by supernatural tales told by a West Indian girls, stimulated by supernatural tales told by a West Indian slave, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused three slave, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused three women of witchcraft. Under pressure, the accused women women of witchcraft. Under pressure, the accused women named others in false confessions. Encouraged by the clergy, a named others in false confessions. Encouraged by the clergy, a special civil court was convened with three judges to conduct special civil court was convened with three judges to conduct the trials. They resulted in the conviction and hanging of 19 the trials. They resulted in the conviction and hanging of 19 "witches" and the imprisonment of nearly 150 others. As public "witches" and the imprisonment of nearly 150 others. As public zeal abated, the trials were stopped and then condemned. The zeal abated, the trials were stopped and then condemned. The colonial legislature later annulled the convictions.colonial legislature later annulled the convictions.

WorksWorks

a)a) Twice-Told TalesTwice-Told Tales 1837 1837

b)b) Mosses from an Old ManseMosses from an Old Manse 18431843

c)c) The Snow-Image, and Other Twice-Told The Snow-Image, and Other Twice-Told TalesTales 18521852

Collections of short stories

《故事重述》

《古宅青苔》《雪人和其他重讲一遍的故事》

His four major romances or His four major romances or novels written between 1850 novels written between 1850

and 1860and 1860

The Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter 《红字》《红字》 (1850)(1850) The House of the Seven GablesThe House of the Seven Gables 《《七个尖角阁的房子》七个尖角阁的房子》 (1851) (1851) The Blithedale Romance The Blithedale Romance 《福谷传奇》 《福谷传奇》 (185(185

2)2) The Marble FaunThe Marble Faun 《玉石雕像》《玉石雕像》 (1860)(1860)

The Birth-MarkThe Birth-Mark 《胎记》《胎记》 (1843) (1843) Rappaccini’s DaughterRappaccini’s Daughter 《拉帕奇尼的女儿》《拉帕奇尼的女儿》 (1844) (1844) My Kinsman, Major MolineuxMy Kinsman, Major Molineux 《我的亲戚莫里诺少校》《我的亲戚莫里诺少校》 (1832) (1832) The Minister’s Black VeilThe Minister’s Black Veil 《教长的黑面纱》《教长的黑面纱》 (1836) (1836) Young Goodman BrownYoung Goodman Brown 《好小伙子布朗》《好小伙子布朗》 (1835) (1835)

Much of Hawthorne’s work is set in Much of Hawthorne’s work is set in colonial New England, and many of his colonial New England, and many of his short stories have been read as moral short stories have been read as moral allegories influenced by his Puritan allegories influenced by his Puritan background.background.

style – typical romantic style – typical romantic writerwriter

a man of literary craftsmanship ， extraordinary in

the use of symbol

The symbol serves as a weapon to attack reality. It can be found everywhere in his writing

the use of ambiguity

revelation of characters’ psychology

to keep the reader in the world of uncertainty – multiple point of view

the use of supernatural

The House of the Seven GablesThe House of the Seven Gables

Theme: The wrong-doing oTheme: The wrong-doing of one generation lives into tf one generation lives into the successive ones.he successive ones.

Colonel PyncheonColonel Pyncheon Matthew MauleMatthew Maule ““God will give him blood tGod will give him blood t

o drink.”o drink.”

SummarySummary Colonel Pyncheon takes by force the land of Matthew Colonel Pyncheon takes by force the land of Matthew

Maule, and condemns him as a wizard. He builds a hoMaule, and condemns him as a wizard. He builds a house on the land while Matthew is sent to the scaffold. use on the land while Matthew is sent to the scaffold. Before he dies, he curses the colonel, saying “God wilBefore he dies, he curses the colonel, saying “God will give him blood to drink.” Retribution seems to coml give him blood to drink.” Retribution seems to come. The house seems to be haunted. The scion of the coe. The house seems to be haunted. The scion of the colonel wither and die out and eventually it is the descelonel wither and die out and eventually it is the descendant of the persecuted wizard who gets the upper handant of the persecuted wizard who gets the upper hand. The curse does, in time, materialize. The book connd. The curse does, in time, materialize. The book concludes on a happy note, and that good triumphs over cludes on a happy note, and that good triumphs over evil, and love and reconciliation end an enmity, but onevil, and love and reconciliation end an enmity, but one feels somehow that the tragic part of the story impree feels somehow that the tragic part of the story impresses more.sses more.

The Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter Plot SummaryPlot Summary Setting Setting time: Middle of the 17th centurytime: Middle of the 17th century place: Boston, Massachusettsplace: Boston, Massachusetts Protagonist:Protagonist: Hester PrynneHester Prynne Narrator:Narrator: The narrator is an unnamed customhouse survThe narrator is an unnamed customhouse surv

eyor who writes some 200 years after the eventeyor who writes some 200 years after the events he describes took place. He has much in coms he describes took place. He has much in common with Hawthorne but should not be taken amon with Hawthorne but should not be taken as a direct mouthpiece for the author’s opinions a direct mouthpiece for the author’s opinions. s.

Major characters in Major characters in The Scarlet The Scarlet LetterLetter

Hester Prynne

Arthur Dimmesdale Roger Chillin

gworth daughter

loverhusband

heroine

Pearl

SymbolismSymbolism

Adam

Alienation

Able

Angel /Angelic

Amour (love)

Adultery

The Symbolic Meaning of the Four The Symbolic Meaning of the Four Major CharactersMajor Characters

HesterHester -- beauty-- beauty “ “The young woman was tall, with a figure The young woman was tall, with a figure

of perfect elegance, …”of perfect elegance, …” -- strong will and endurance-- strong will and endurance “ “I will not speak. It is too deeply branded. I will not speak. It is too deeply branded.

Ye cannot take it off. And would that I migYe cannot take it off. And would that I might endure his agony,as well as mine!”ht endure his agony,as well as mine!”

-- kindness-- kindness

Arthur DimmesdaleArthur Dimmesdale -- -- AArthur rthur DDimmesdale AD Adulteryimmesdale AD Adultery -- weak and coward-- weak and coward

Roger ChillingworthRoger Chillingworth -- “chill” cool-- “chill” cool -- heartless and merciless-- heartless and merciless -- his misshapen body reflects or symbolizes the -- his misshapen body reflects or symbolizes the

evil in his soul, which builds as the novel progreevil in his soul, which builds as the novel progresses.sses.

The Symbolic Meaning of the Four The Symbolic Meaning of the Four Major CharactersMajor Characters

The Symbolic Meaning of the Four The Symbolic Meaning of the Four Major CharactersMajor Characters

PearlPearl

-- She is the scarlet letter in another -- She is the scarlet letter in another form, the scarlet letter endowed with form, the scarlet letter endowed with life;life;

-- She is the symbol of the ardent love;-- She is the symbol of the ardent love;

-- She serves as moral in the novel;-- She serves as moral in the novel;

-- She symbolizes the revolt against -- She symbolizes the revolt against Puritanism.Puritanism.

Major ThemesMajor Themes

Public Guilt vs. Private GuiltPublic Guilt vs. Private Guilt Punishment vs. ForgivenessPunishment vs. Forgiveness Sin and JudgmentSin and Judgment Civilization vs. WildernessCivilization vs. Wilderness The Town vs. the WoodsThe Town vs. the Woods