The time was the nineteenth century, a time of great prudishness in America but born a man Nathaniel Hawthorne that would put the Puritan society and their way to the test. A Puritan is one who follows the English Protestant lifestyle and someone who adheres to strict religious principle; also one who has a strong regard for pleasure sex and nudity. (Webster’s Dictionary, 2003) Born on July 4th 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts and of Puritan decent himself, Nathaniel Hawthorne and his family experienced intense harassment during their time.(Hoeljte, pps 25-26) Experiences that today make Hawthorne not only a great author, but very well liked by readers as well. Nathaniel attended a prestigious school with the aid of wealthy family members.(Hoeljte, pp 174) Hawthorne himself after not becoming a lawyer or doctor as his family wished had many financial issues, he was forced to work and write stories to support a family of his own.
Hawthornes’ knack for writing would begin shortly after college where he wrote many unpublished and published short stories, novels, and articles. Hawthornes’ major novel was intended to be a lengthy short story but due to his financial issues was forced to make this lengthy story into a now famous novel. (Hoeljte, pps 280-285) Hawthorne became one of the leading writers of his time, moving away from formalism and exploring the ideas of individual responsibility, the importance of creative expression and man’s relationship to the natural world.
In addition to financial worries, another influence on the story is Hawthorne's rejection of his ancestors. His forefathers were strict Puritans, and John Hathorne, his great-great-grandfather, was a judge presiding during the Salem witch trials.( Hoeljte, pps 36-37...
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...ying the authenticity of the American dream of freedom and independence through his characters and plot. Hawthorne also does a great job with his usage of sin, isolation and reunion in the novel.
Works Cited
1. Eisinger, Chester. Pearl and the Puritan Heritage. 1951 pps. 323-329
2. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Ticknor Reed& Fields. 1850
3. Hoeltje, H. Hubert. Inward Sky. Durham, North Caroline: Duke University Press, 1962.
4. James, Henry. Nathaniel Hawthorne. (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1879) 102-18.
5. Johnson, Durst Claudia. Understanding The Scarlet Letter. Green Wood Press, 1995
6. Kesterson, B. David. Critical Essays on Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. G.K Hall. 1938
7. Scharnhorst, Gary. The Critical Response to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter. Greenwood Press.
8. Webster’s Dictionary. Trident Press International, 2003 Edition
Lathrop, G. P., ed. "Hawthorne, Nathaniel." The Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature. Binghamton, New York: Vail-Ballou, 1962. 439-40. Print.
Kaul, A. N., Ed.. "HAWTHORNE: A Collection of Critical Essays." Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1966.
Lang, H.J.. “How Ambiguous Is Hawthorne.” In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.
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...
Another big influence on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writing of his most famous novel, The Scarlet Letter, was money. At the time before he started writing his novel, he had very little money, and his first daughter was recently born. He needed to write in order to support his family. He planned on writing a long short story, however the amount of money he would make from writing a novel was too much to pass
Life experiences, upbringing and interactions with fellow individuals affect the person’s outlook on life in general as well as their perception of reality. Authors, poets and writers in possess a talent to describe these experiences through an art form they explicitly excel in. Hawthorne is a
The author of this novel, Nathaniel Hawthorne, grew up in Salem so the setting cof this novel played a large role in his life. Hawthorne was the “great-grandson of the Salem Witch Trials judge John Hathorne” (Brooks). However, he changed his last name, adding a “W” because he was “haunted by his connection to his ancestor” (Brooks), and possibly because he wanted to distance himself from his family name. His family had a very large past in the Salem Witch Trials; it is said all of the following members of his family were somehow related to the trials: “Mary and Philip English, John Proctor and Sarah Wilson, as well as one of the accusers: Sarah Phelps. Nathaniel’s great uncle...
Lang, H.J. “How Ambiguous is Hawthorne?” In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.
Nathaniel Hawthorne is a well known 19th century author. One reason he is well known is his view towards Puritanism. Hawthorne would often criticize Puritanism in his short stories and novels. Two short stories that show Hawthorne’s view of Puritanism are “Young Goodman Brown” and “The ministers black veil”.
“Mr. Hawthorne’s distinctive trait is invention, creation, imagination, originality…”(Poe). This was taken from a review of Hawthorne’s work written by Edgar Allen Poe in the late 1800’s. Nathaniel Hawthorne is a very well known author that had written books and works showing traits just as Poe had said. His stories and books are known worldwide and have been studied for many years. Through Hawthorne’s life, I believe he had developed a vast imagination. From developing an imagination, he had developed works that show his ability to make stories from his mind. Hawthorne used his imagination to develop his fascinating works.
Before the novel actually begins, there is a section of the book entitled "The Custom House". While this is not an essential part of the novel, it provides insight into Nathaniel Hawthorne and the story itself. Here the reader learns that Hawthorne’s ancestors were strict Puritans. One of his ancestors, Judge Hawthorne, was an actual judge during the Salem Witch Trials. Although Hawthorne did not actually live during the Puritan era, he still felt guilty of his ancestors’ actions. He was angered by the hypocrisy of the Puritan government and the Puritan church which condemned sins, yet committed them. This becomes apparent to the reader throughout the course of the novel.
The man, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s religious background, seclusion from society, and devotion to his craft can be related to his novel The Scarlet Letter. His religious upbringing as a Puritan is what gave him the knowledge to write about Boston’s Puritan society in his novel. Hawthorne’s great-grandfather, who one of the judges at the Puritan witchcraft trials, was like the magistrates of The Scarlet Letter that attempted to make a society that would be a “Utopia of human virtue and happiness”. A further parallel found between Hawthorne’s life and the novel is the element of seclusion found in each. Hawthorne secluded himself from society with his few family members and close friends. In the same way Hester Prynne was secluded from society in her “little, lonesome dwelling” that “stood on the shore, looking across a basin of the sea at the forest-covered hills toward the west” out of the circle of the town.
Martin, Terence. Nathaniel Hawthorne. Revised Edition. Twayne’s United States Authors Series. G.K. Hall & Company. Massachusetts. 1983.
Nathaniel Hawthorne's works are notable for their treatment of guilt and the complexities of moral choices. "Moral and religious concerns, in short, are almost always present in Hawthorne's work"(Foster, 56). Given Hawthorne's background, it is not a stretch of the imagination to say that his novels are critiques of Puritanism. Hawthorne lived in the deeply scarred New England area, separated from Puritanism by only one generation. His grandfather had been one of the judges in the Salem Witch Trials. Personal issues include the various ways Hawthorne's family and specific events in his life influenced his writing. Readers can easily recognize how "Young Goodman Brown" incorporates facts about his Puritan ancestors. Father Hooper in "The Minister's Black Veil" may be symbolically paralleled to Hawthorne's ancestors, trying to hide a sin they have committed. His descendants' remarks on him in The Custom House introduction to The Scarlet Letter mix pride in Hawthorne's prominence and a sense of inherited guilt for his deeds as judge. Hawthorne's guilt of wrongs committed by his ancestors was paramount in the development of his literary career. He investigates human weaknesses through the time period of his ancestors. Generally Hawthorne's writings contained powerful symbolic and psychological effects of pride, guilt, sin and punishment.
Nathaniel Hawthorne's knowledge of Puritanism and his close relationship with the religion has impacted his views on those in the society. Hawthorne is critical of the Puritans and he thinks that they are hypocrites for having rules and morals that they do not follow. He sees the underlying sin that others may not. Through his many writings he makes known to his readers that everyone is guilty of sin. The Puritan's main goal was to save themselves from the sin in the world, but Nathaniel Hawthorne portrays their morals and society as troublesome through his works, "Young Goodman Brown," "The Minister's Black Veil," and The Scarlet Letter.