Nathaniel hawthorne

Nathaniel HawthorneNathaniel HawthorneA Balanced Approach to A Balanced Approach to

TranscendentalismTranscendentalism

An Intro to Nate the GreatAn Intro to Nate the Great

English 244English 244

The Life of HawthorneThe Life of Hawthorne

Hawthorne was born Hawthorne was born on July 4th, 1804 in on July 4th, 1804 in Salem, Mass.Salem, Mass.

Father: Nathaniel Father: Nathaniel Hathorne Sr. was a Hathorne Sr. was a sea captain. sea captain.

Mother: Elizabeth Mother: Elizabeth Clarke Manning was Clarke Manning was a descendent of a descendent of blacksmiths blacksmiths


Hawthorne attended Hawthorne attended Bowdoin CollegeBowdoin College

After his graduation After his graduation he turned to writing. he turned to writing.

He wrote several He wrote several successful short successful short stories which were stories which were collected in collected in Twice-Twice-Told Tales Told Tales (1837).(1837).


Hawthorne Hawthorne returned to Salem returned to Salem where he met where he met Sophia Peabody.Sophia Peabody.

After a five year After a five year engagement, they engagement, they were married in were married in 1842.1842.


Unable to support Unable to support his new family by his new family by writing, in 1846 writing, in 1846 Hawthorne Hawthorne accepted a political accepted a political appointment to the appointment to the Salem Custom Salem Custom House as Surveyor House as Surveyor of the Port .of the Port .


This bureaucratic This bureaucratic position stunted position stunted Hawthorne’s creativity.Hawthorne’s creativity.

A change in A change in administration, administration, however, led to his however, led to his termination in 1849. termination in 1849.

Hawthorne’s mother Hawthorne’s mother died at the same time.died at the same time.


Suffering these Suffering these losses, Hawthorne losses, Hawthorne left Salem, which he left Salem, which he called "that called "that abominable city," abominable city," saying that he now saying that he now had no reason to had no reason to remain. remain.

He would never He would never again return.again return.


Some critics have Some critics have suggested that the suggested that the loss of both his loss of both his position and mother position and mother provided the provided the creative impetus to creative impetus to write write The Scarlet The Scarlet Letter Letter (1850).(1850).


Hawthorne’s Hawthorne’s connection to Salem connection to Salem haunted him.haunted him.

His great-His great-grandfather John grandfather John Hathorne was the Hathorne was the chief-interrogator chief-interrogator of the “Salem of the “Salem Witches.”Witches.”


The story that The story that Hawthorne added Hawthorne added the "w" to his name the "w" to his name to distance himself to distance himself from his Hathorne from his Hathorne ancestors has no ancestors has no clear evidence to clear evidence to support it. support it.


In 1830, however, he In 1830, however, he published "The Hollow published "The Hollow of the Three Hills," of the Three Hills," under the name of under the name of Nathaniel Hathorne. Nathaniel Hathorne.

After this date his After this date his name appears as name appears as Nathaniel Hawthorne.Nathaniel Hawthorne.


Other Published works:Other Published works: Twice-Told Tales, The Twice-Told Tales, The

House of the Seven House of the Seven Gables, The Mable Gables, The Mable Faun, Our Old Home, Faun, Our Old Home, and children’s books and children’s books A Wonder Book, A Wonder Book, and and Tanglewood TalesTanglewood Tales..


Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne died on May 18, 1864 died on May 18, 1864 in Plymouth, New in Plymouth, New Hampshire.Hampshire.

He is credited with He is credited with writing the first truly writing the first truly American novel: American novel: The The Scarlet LetterScarlet Letter..

Influences upon Hawthorne’s WorkInfluences upon Hawthorne’s Work

MarriageMarriage Sophia desired to paint, Sophia desired to paint,

write, and pursue a write, and pursue a professionprofession

She was limited by social She was limited by social constraints and constraints and motherhoodmotherhood


Female characters Female characters are often portrayed are often portrayed as sympatheticas sympathetic

Idea of “Female Idea of “Female Purity”Purity” Influence of Influence of

Puritan heritage Puritan heritage


Puritan New England Puritan New England Many works are set Many works are set

in New Englandin New England Puritan belief in an Puritan belief in an

“active evil” (Devil)“active evil” (Devil) Salem communities Salem communities

are often viewed as are often viewed as hypocritical – Salem hypocritical – Salem Witch Trials Witch Trials

Literary ThemesLiterary Themes

Alienation – a Alienation – a character is isolated character is isolated due to self-cause or due to self-cause or societal-causesocietal-cause

Guilt vs. Innocence Guilt vs. Innocence – a character’s – a character’s sense of guilt caused sense of guilt caused by Puritanical by Puritanical values/heritagevalues/heritage

Literary ThemesLiterary Themes

Individual vs. SocietyIndividual vs. Society Self-reliance vs. Self-reliance vs.

AccommodationAccommodation Hypocrisy vs. IntegrityHypocrisy vs. Integrity Fate vs. Free WillFate vs. Free Will Unconventional Gender Unconventional Gender

RolesRoles Impossibility of Human Impossibility of Human

PerfectionPerfection Secret SinSecret Sin

ImageryImagery

Hawthorne makes use Hawthorne makes use of the following of the following patterns of images:patterns of images: Light vs. DarkLight vs. Dark Natural vs. UnnaturalNatural vs. Unnatural Sunshine vs. Firelight Sunshine vs. Firelight

or Moonlight and or Moonlight and ReflectionsReflections

Romantic/Gothic MotifsRomantic/Gothic Motifs

FantasiesFantasies DreamsDreams ReveriesReveries Open-ended endings Open-ended endings

and unanswered and unanswered questions – the open-questions – the open-ended possibilities of ended possibilities of the idealistic the idealistic RomanticRomantic

Hawthorne’s Views of Hawthorne’s Views of TranscendentalismTranscendentalism

Hawthorne did not Hawthorne did not conform to the conform to the Romantic focus on Romantic focus on the emotions and the emotions and abandonment of abandonment of reason.reason.

Hawthorne strove to Hawthorne strove to create a balance create a balance between “head and between “head and heart.”heart.”


Hawthorne believed Hawthorne believed that human that human fulfillment was fulfillment was achieved through a achieved through a balance between balance between mind, reason, heart, mind, reason, heart, spirit, will, and spirit, will, and imagination.imagination.


Hawthorne’s Hawthorne’s balanced approach balanced approach placed him in placed him in opposition to other opposition to other Transcendentalists Transcendentalists – Emerson, – Emerson, Thoreau, and Thoreau, and Longfellow.Longfellow.

Hawthorne & The SecretHawthorne & The Secret

““Some secret in my Some secret in my father’s life which father’s life which has never been has never been revealed” Self-revealed” Self-reliance can lead to reliance can lead to excessive pride.excessive pride.

Many theories on Many theories on what this secret was. what this secret was.

Education

Nathaniel hawthorne