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The Life and Works of Nathaniel Hawthorne: A Look at a Literary Mastermind

Nathaniel Hawthorne, born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804, emerged from a Puritan lineage that shaped his worldview. Often labeled an Anti-Transcendentalist, he perceived evil as an inherent part of humanity. His notable works include "The Scarlet Letter," which examines guilt and sin, as well as "The House of Seven Gables." Married to Sophia Peabody, he had close ties with literary contemporaries like Thoreau and Emerson, though their differing beliefs strained these friendships. Despite early struggles, Hawthorne achieved international acclaim, leaving behind a profound legacy before his passing in 1864.

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The Life and Works of Nathaniel Hawthorne: A Look at a Literary Mastermind

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  1. Nathaniel Hawthorne By: Ryan “Shrock” Shrock And Jena Raquel Freeman

  2. Family • Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804 • He descended from a Puritan family • One ancestor was a judge in the Salem Witch Trials • Another ancestor was known for persecuting Quakers

  3. Beliefs • Hawthorne is sometimes referred to as an Anti-Transcendentalist because he lived in a time when many people glorified power in the human spirit but he chose not to accept such optimistic views • He believed evil was a driving force in the world and his writings portray a depressing view of human affairs

  4. Hawthorne’s characteristics and focus of his writings were on a sense of inherited guilt • He felt guilty for the cruelty of his ancestors even though he was born 112 years after the Salem witch trials and he himself was not a Puritan

  5. First novel: Fanshawe 1828 • After graduating from Bowdoin College in 1825, he secluded himself at his mother’s house in Salem and wrote his first novel • Anonymously published in 1828 • Nathaniel was ashamed of it and burned most available copies

  6. In 1837 he wrote a collection of stories called Twice Told Tales • Although not many copies were sold, it made him a respected writer, and encouraged him to continue his writing

  7. Marriage • In 1842 he married Sophia Peabody and moved to Concord, Massachusetts • He spent time with Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson but their opposing beliefs made it difficult to have a better friendship • While in Concord, Hawthorne published Mosses From an Old Manse in 1846 • He also had a daughter named “Una”

  8. He and his family moved back to Salem when he was appointed surveyor at the Salem customhouse • In 1850 he was forced out of office by an administration change • He then published his masterpiece, The Scarlet Letter, which was a novel about guilt and sin among the Puritans • It was very successful, and earned him international recognition as a talented author • In 1851 he wrote The House of Seven Gables, and The Blithedale Romance a year later

  9. After traveling to Italy, he wrote The Marble Faun in 1860 • The theme of the story is guilt, and the Fall of Man • And then died in his sleep four years later

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