Nathaniel Hawthorne Research Paper

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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). After moving in with his wealthy uncles, Hawthorne soon suffered a serious leg injury. This injury left him immobile for several months, and he quickly developed an insatiable appetite for reading. It is during this period when Hawthorne first began writing, and set his mind on leading a future career as a writer. His uncles, understanding his passion, were able to help him attend Bowdoin College from 1821 to 1825. Here Hawthorne made lifelong friends, most notably …show more content…

He moved back home to Salem, where he was able to acquire a position as surveyor for the Salem Custom House. However, after Zachary Taylor was elected president, Hawthorne lost the job which had brought his family financial stability at long last. This event is what prompted Hawthorne to write what is regarded by many as his magnum opus, The Scarlet Letter. The Scarlet Letter quickly became a success, and was one of the first mass-produced publications in America. Hawthorne felt uncomfortable in Salem after authoring his Puritanical novel, and moved to Lennox, Massachusetts. Here he met Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick. Melville proved to heavily influence Hawthorne’s writing, and his period of living in Lennox was his most productive

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