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Symbolism Nathaniel Hawthorne uses in his stories
Nathaniel Hawthorne's writings influence modern literature
Symbolism Nathaniel Hawthorne uses in his stories
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Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writings have been read for many years, and many of his books have been on the required reading lists in the school curricula. His works convey themes of psychology and human nature through his crafty use of allegory and symbolism. These were essential tools in addressing topics that were too radical to be publicly addressed in the nineteenth century (Magill 1). He used these techniques to criticize some part of society, which is evident in his use of satire in the religious world (Hilton 1). Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writings impacted his contemporary society, despite the fact that his criticism and ideas weren’t widely popular and accepted.
Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts on July 4, 1804 (Magill 1; Campbell 1; “Nathaniel Hawthorne”; Eldred 1). He was born into the sixth generation of his Salem family, and was a descendant of a long line of New England Puritans, which contributed in his interest in the Puritan way of life. The family was originally known as the “Hathornes”, but Nathaniel added the “w” to his name so it would become “Hawthorne”. The Hawthornes had been involved in religious persecution with their first American ancestor, William. Another ancestor, John Hathorne, was one of the three judges at the seventeenth-century Salem witchcraft trials. Hawthorne’s father was a sea captain, and when he was four years old (1808), his father died on a voyage in Surinam, Dutch Guinea (Campbell 1). Hawthorne was left alone with his mother and two sisters. He spent his early years in Salem and in Maine, during which he showed an interest in his father’s nautical adventures and read his logbooks often, even after his death (Magill 1). His maternal relatives recognized his literary talent at such a you...
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... resided in their first permanent home, The Wayside, at Concord. Hawthorne’s health eventually began to fail him, but since he refused to submit to medical examination, the details of his health issues remain unclear. He eventually died in Plymouth, New Hampshire on May 19, 1864 (Magill 1; Campbell 1; “Nathaniel Hawthorne”; Eldred 1).
Works Cited
Hilton, Earl. “Hawthorne, the Hippie, and the Square.” Debacle. 6 April 1997. 27 January 2010.
http://debacle.org/hawthorne/hhs.html
Magill, Frank. “Hawthorne Writing Style.” Escoala. 27 January 2010.
http://www.e-scoala.ro/referate/engleza_nathaniel_hawthorne.html
Reuben, Paul P. “Chapter 3: Nineteenth Century to 1865 – Nathaniel Hawthorne.” PAL: Perspective in American Literature - A Research and Reference Guide. 18 May 2009. 27 January 2010.
http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap3/hawthorne.html
“Nathaniel Hawthorne – Biography.” The European Graduate School. The European Graduate School, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014
Since ours is an age that has found irony, ambiguity, and paradox to be central not only in literature but in life, it is not surprising that Hawthorne has seemed to us one of the most modern of nineteenth century American writers. The bulk and general excellence of the great outburst of Hawthorne criticism of the past decade attest to his relevance for us(54).
The influence of Puritan religion, culture and education is a common topic in Nathaniel Hawthorne's works. Growing up, Hawthorne could not escape the influence of Puritan society, not only from residing with his father's devout Puritan family as a child but also due to his study of his own family history. The first of his ancestors, William Hathorne, is described in Hawthorne's "The Custom House" as arriving with the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 "with his Bible and his sword" (26). A further connection can also be seen in his more notable ancestor John Hathorne, who exemplified the level of zealousness in Puritanism with his role as persecutor in the Salem Witch Trials. The study of his own family from the establishment of the Bay Colony to the Second Great Awakening of his own time parallels the issues brought forth in "Young Goodman Brown." In looking into the history of early Puritan society, Hawthorne is able to discuss the merits and consequences of such zeal, especially the Puritan Catechism of John Cotton, and the repercussions of The Salem Witch trials. Hawthorne sets “Young Goodman Brown” into a context of Puritan rigidity and self-doubt to allow his contemporary readers to see the consequences of such a system of belief.
Nathaniel Hawthorne was one of the first American writers to pioneer the unprecedented and unforeseen gothic genre which resulted in the exposure of darker themes across America in the 19th century. This new genre sprouted the “brooding” romantics who revolved around the human’s capacity for evil as a main theme of their works. Being one of the “brooding” romantics, Hawthorne followed the Puritans’ belief that everyone is a sinner as a result of being a descendent of the Puritans associated with the infamous Salem witchcraft trials. Not only was he related to the despicable Puritans, but also, he had to live with the guilt that his dishonorable great-great grandfather, Judge Hathorne, was “the only one who refused to apologize for his role
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804. Descended from a staunch Puritan family, Hawthorne?s father was a presiding judge over the Salem Witch Trials. Hawthorne?s father died when he was young and he spent much time alone during his childhood. He had an introspective nature and was an avid reader. He began to write while he was in college and following graduation, returned to Salem where he entered a twelve-year literary apprenticeship. His first collection of short stories, Twice-Told tales, was published in 1837. Soon afterwards, he joined for a short period an experimental utopian community outside of Boston called Brook Farm in 1841. In 1842, Hawthorne married Sophia Peabody and they moved to Concord, Massachusetts. There Hawthorne wrote many pieces including his next collection of stores in 1846 called ?Mosses from an Old Manse.? From 1846 to 1849, Hawthorne worked in a Salem customhouse. Following his dismissal was a two-year period of intense productivity after which he wrote very little fiction, although he did keep notebooks. Hawthorne died in 1864 following several years of inability to complete any of this writings. Much of Hawthorne's work is set in colonial New England and many of his short stories have been read as moral allegories influenced by his Puritan ancestry. He believed that the misfortunes of his immediate family were the result of d...
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writings show how sin is sin until it is publicized. He goes into great depth to show both sides of private and public sin. People still sin and judge others today. However, the ways that sin is seen today is much different in a historical type of way. The idea of sin never really seemed to make sense to Hawthorne. Hawthorne’s writings are still relevant today because the world is full of sex symbolism and sin. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writings show how people tend to overlook their own sin but speak loudly about other’s sin. Hawthorne understood that sin is unconsciously committed, but people are still judged by others for something they also tend to commit privately.
Lathrop, G. P., ed. "Hawthorne, Nathaniel." The Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature. Binghamton, New York: Vail-Ballou, 1962. 439-40. Print.
A western bishop appraised: “Yet we honestly believe that "the Scarlet Letter" has already done not a little to degrade our literature, and to encourage social licentiousness: it has started other pens on like enterprises, and has loosed the restraint of many tongues, that have made it an apology for "the evil communications which corrupt good manners.” (Coxe.) Hawthorne’s sagacious perception revealed the dark and ugly side of the Puritan society, and remonstrated the unfairness under the laws. He established his story not only based on the actual events but also leaned on his lavish imaginative conception and his personal experience. Hawthorne is a good ironic writer and most of his eyes focus on unfairness and repulsive about human life and he’s novel concentrated revealing the evils and ugly side about humanity. One of the best writer during 1900s, Henry James wrote: “He is to a considerable degree ironical—this is part of his charm—part even, one may say, of his brightness; but he is neither bitter nor cynical—he is rarely even what I should call tragical.” (James.) His achievements inspired future writer such as Henry James, Faulkner, and Melville, thereby forming an important American literary historical writing tradition. He cleverly makes symbolism and romanticism bond together and makes his work interesting and enjoyable for
Nathaniel Hawthorne “was born on July 4, 1804” (Carton 2). When he lost his father, Nathaniel Hathorne, at age four, it was extremely devastating because he never had the privilege of knowing who his father was. When a child loses a parent at such a young age, the imagination creates pretend memories. When he was old enough, he began searching for facts to fill in the gaps of those memories. “He supplemented the images of his father’s nautical life that he gleamed from the logbooks by reading travel narratives, histories, and adventure stories about the exotic regions Nathaniel Hathorne had sailed” (Carton 147). Following his completion in college, Hawthorne spent “twelve years of self-imposed isolation” researching
Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts. He had 2 siblings and was the child of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Hathorne. He added the “w” to his last name when he started his writing career. His father died of yellow fever in 1808 (LitFinder Contemporary Collection). His mother took her three children and moved into his uncles’ home after his father’s death (The Oxford Companion to American Literature). Hawthorne believed himself as a Christian, but he was skeptical of all claims, whether Puritan or Roman Catholic to know the details of the divine will (American writers II). Hawthorne attended Bowdoin College and graduated in 1812. He struggled for years with debt and had countless failed ...
Since ours is an age that has found irony, ambiguity, and paradox to be central not only in literature but in life, it is not surprising that Hawthorne has seemed to us one of the most modern of nineteenth century American writers. The bulk and general excellence of the great outburst of Hawthorne criticism of the past decade attest to his relevance for us (54).
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts. His birth name was spelled Hathorne, but he later added a ‘w’. This was due to his ancestor, John Hathorne, who was one of the three judges during the Salem Witch Trials, whom Hawthorne wished to distance himself from. Hawthorne was the only son born to Nathaniel Hathorne and Elizabeth Clark Manning. In 1808, when Hawthorne was eight years old, his father passed away. Hawthorne’s father had been a sea captain, and suffered a fatal bought of yellow fever while at sea. The family was left in a dire financial situation, and were forced to move in with Elizabeth’s affluent brothers (Biography).
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, to a family that had been prominent in the area since colonial times. Hawthorne was very handsome and never had problems with looks. When Nathaniel was four, his father died on a voyage in Surinam. Hawthorne was extremely concerned with traditional values. From 1836 to 1844, the Boston-centered Transcendentalist movement, led by Ralph Waldo Emerson, was an important force in New England intellectual circles. The Transcendentalists believed that human existence transcended the sensory realm, and rejected formalism in favor of individual responsibility. The Scarlet Letter shows some Transcendentalist influence, including a belief in individual choice and consequence, and an emphasis on symbolism.
True literary success is a extraordinary rarity. If an author’s work does not consistently appeal to and appraise the continued plight of the average man through time, it cannot be considered a true classic. Nathaniel Hawthorne exemplifies an author bestowed underserved popularity and success perpetuated solely by that popularity. Examining both his work and his lifestyle brings to light a dull drive for obsolete accomplishments. While his plotlines can be considered classic, his style portrays an overzealous attempt at sophistication. Hawthorne’s desire to be considered a great writer takes away from the raw content of his works, and leaves the text dry and dull. His work is no longer relevant to a broad audience, further depreciating the
Hawthorne envisioned a path on who he wanted to be as an author. Puritan New England was the setting for his writing path. Hawthorne wrote fiction that deals with philosophy and human emotion and philosophy it was part of the romantic literary tradition. The romantic literary tradition included themes such as heresy, witchcraft and adultery which were all used in his works. Hawthorne claimed that his work explored the depths of our common nature. Nathaniel Hawthorne's fiction is unique in two important respects. He was the first major novelist to combine high moral seriousness with transcendent dedication to art. Also he was also the first major novelist to insist upon the basic unreality of his works. An imaginative genius gifted with considerable linguistic skill, he opened a path in literature that few have followed with comparable success. Like all great writers h...