Nathaniel Hawthorne: American Romanticism and Transcendentalism An Introduction to The Scarlet...

Nathaniel Hawthorne: Nathaniel Hawthorne: American Romanticism and American Romanticism and

TranscendentalismTranscendentalism

An Introduction toAn Introduction to

TheThe Scarlet LetterScarlet Letter

The Life of Nathaniel HawthorneThe Life of Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hawthorne was born on Hawthorne was born on July 4th, 1804 in Salem, July 4th, 1804 in Salem, MassachusettsMassachusetts

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

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


Following university, Following university, Hawthorne returned Hawthorne returned to Salem where he to Salem where he met Sophia Peabody.met Sophia Peabody.

After a five year After a five year engagement*, they engagement*, they were married in 1842.were married in 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 HawthorneHawthorne''s creativity.s creativity.

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

HawthorneHawthorne''s mother s mother died at the same time.died at the same time.

The Life of Nathaniel HawthorneThe Life of Nathaniel Hawthorne Suffering these Suffering these

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

The Life of Nathaniel HawthorneThe Life of Nathaniel Hawthorne HawthorneHawthorne''s 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.

The Life of Nathaniel HawthorneThe Life of Nathaniel Hawthorne 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 childrenand children''s books 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 HawthorneInfluences upon Hawthorne''s Works 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– a character''s sense s sense of guilt caused by of guilt caused by Puritanical 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

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 idealistic romanceidealistic romance

HawthorneHawthorne''s Views of Romanticism s Views of Romanticism and Transcendentalismand Transcendentalism

Hawthorne did not Hawthorne did not conform to the conform to the Romantic focus on Romantic focus on the emotions and the emotions and abandonmentabandonment of 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 fulfillment that human fulfillment was achieved through was achieved through a balance between a balance between mind, reason, heart, mind, reason, heart, spirit, will, and spirit, will, and imagination.imagination.


HawthorneHawthorne''s s balanced approach balanced approach placed him in placed him in opposition to opposition to Transcendentalists Transcendentalists like Emerson, like Emerson, Thoreau, and Thoreau, and Longfellow.Longfellow.

Clash with TranscendentalismClash with Transcendentalism Hawthorne saw Hawthorne saw

potential problems potential problems with Emersonwith Emerson''s idea s idea of self-reliance.of self-reliance.

Self-reliance can lead Self-reliance can lead to excessive pride.to excessive pride.

Hawthorne believed Hawthorne believed in determinism, or in determinism, or natural order.natural order.

Clash with TranscendentalismClash with Transcendentalism Transcendentalists were Transcendentalists were

overwhelmingly overwhelmingly abolitionists – abolitionists – Hawthorne wasnHawthorne wasn''t t entirely sure of his entirely sure of his position.position.

He questioned the He questioned the motives and principles motives and principles of the Northern of the Northern authorities.authorities.

Clash with TranscendentalismClash with Transcendentalism This point of This point of

contention was contention was publicized in a series publicized in a series of articles by of articles by Hawthorne published Hawthorne published in the journal in the journal The The AtlanticAtlantic, which was , which was founded by Emerson founded by Emerson and Longfellow.and Longfellow.

Clash with TranscendentalismClash with Transcendentalism The editorial staff of The editorial staff of

The AtlanticThe Atlantic deleted deleted large portions of large portions of HawthorneHawthorne''s articles s articles which contained ideas which contained ideas that disagreed with that disagreed with the abolitionist beliefs the abolitionist beliefs of the founders of the of the founders of the journal.journal.

Clash with TranscendentalismClash with Transcendentalism

Hawthorne also added Hawthorne also added sketches throughout his sketches throughout his edited published articles, edited published articles, written from the written from the perspective of a perspective of a "dimwitted editor" to "dimwitted editor" to show the hypocritical show the hypocritical nature of his nature of his transcendentalist editors.transcendentalist editors.


HawthorneHawthorne’’s Response:s Response:

"What a terrible thing "What a terrible thing it is to try to let off a it is to try to let off a little bit of truth into little bit of truth into this miserable this miserable humbug of a world!" humbug of a world!"


In place of an unflattering description of In place of an unflattering description of President Lincoln that the editors deleted, he President Lincoln that the editors deleted, he wrote: wrote:

"We are compelled to omit two or three "We are compelled to omit two or three pages, in which the author describes the pages, in which the author describes the interview, and gives his idea of the personal interview, and gives his idea of the personal appearance and deportment of the President. appearance and deportment of the President. The sketch appears to have been written in a The sketch appears to have been written in a benign spirit, and perhaps conveys a not benign spirit, and perhaps conveys a not inaccurate impression of its august subject; inaccurate impression of its august subject; but it lacks reverence."but it lacks reverence."


In place of another deleted section he wrote: In place of another deleted section he wrote:

"We do not thoroughly comprehend the "We do not thoroughly comprehend the authorauthor''s drift in the foregoing paragraph, but s drift in the foregoing paragraph, but are inclined to think its tone reprehensible, are inclined to think its tone reprehensible, and its tendency impolitic in the present stage and its tendency impolitic in the present stage of our national difficulties."of our national difficulties."

European Romance vs.European Romance vs.The American NovelThe American Novel

Hawthorne struggled Hawthorne struggled against the European against the European model of the model of the Romance.Romance.

Through Through The Scarlet The Scarlet LetterLetter, Hawthorne , Hawthorne developed the first developed the first truly American truly American Novel.Novel.

The European RomanceThe European Romance The European Romance The European Romance

romanticized a rich past romanticized a rich past and historic culture.and historic culture.

It involved archetypal It involved archetypal adventures.adventures.

It was escapist: a means It was escapist: a means of escaping the here and of escaping the here and now.now.

The European RomanceThe European Romance

Classical Romance Characteristics:Classical Romance Characteristics: Lovers who remain true to each other, while Lovers who remain true to each other, while

the womanthe woman''s chastity is preserved s chastity is preserved An intricate plot, including stories within An intricate plot, including stories within

stories stories Exciting and unexpected chance eventsExciting and unexpected chance events

The European RomanceThe European Romance

Classical Romance Characteristics:Classical Romance Characteristics:

Travel to faraway settings Travel to faraway settings

Hidden and mistaken identity Hidden and mistaken identity

Written in an elaborate and elegant styleWritten in an elaborate and elegant style

European Romance vs. European Romance vs. The American NovelThe American Novel

America, however, America, however, had no rich culture had no rich culture or ancient history or ancient history to draw from.to draw from.

It was primarily It was primarily concerned with the concerned with the here and now, and here and now, and how to perfect it.how to perfect it.

European Romance vs. European Romance vs. The American NovelThe American Novel

While maintaining While maintaining the elements of the the elements of the European European Romance, Romance, Hawthorne shifted Hawthorne shifted the American the American novelnovel''s focus to the s focus to the present.present.

The American NovelThe American Novel

HawthorneHawthorne''s novel s novel was not a means of was not a means of escape, but rather a escape, but rather a means to examine means to examine society and life.society and life.

His novel invited His novel invited criticism of the criticism of the worlds he reflected worlds he reflected – Puritanism. – Puritanism.

The American NovelThe American Novel Where Romance Where Romance

incorporated the incorporated the Gothic elements of Gothic elements of crime, religion, ghosts, crime, religion, ghosts, etc. as the focus of the etc. as the focus of the story, Hawthorne story, Hawthorne used these elements as used these elements as a means to support his a means to support his story.story.

HawthorneHawthorne''s Novels Novel

"When a writer calls his work a "When a writer calls his work a romance, he wishes to claim a certain romance, he wishes to claim a certain latitude, both as to its fashion and latitude, both as to its fashion and material, which he would not have felt material, which he would not have felt himself entitled to assume had he himself entitled to assume had he professed to be writing a novel."professed to be writing a novel."

HawthorneHawthorne''s Novels Novel

HawthorneHawthorne''s novel s novel found relevance as found relevance as more than mere more than mere entertainment, but entertainment, but as something more as something more prophetic and prophetic and integral to the integral to the American identity. American identity.

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