discussion
Bella edwards
NathanielHawthorne2017.pptNathaniel Hawthorne
An American Romantic Writer
Hawthorne 1804-1864
- Obsessed with sin and guilt
- Writing reflects an interest in human psychology (predates Freud, 1856-1939)
- Believed writing should reveal the truth of the human heart even if the story was unrealistic
Hawthorne 1804-1864
- Some say that Hawthorne was the most important American writer before the Civil War
- He had Puritan ancestors involved in Salem witch trials
“Young Goodman Brown”
- Perfect example of Hawthorne’s idea about forgoing realism to reveal the truth of the human heart
- A more complex tale than it first appears to be
- Melville believe it to be a spiritually complex as Dante’s Divine Comedy
Ways to Frustrate yourself when Reading Hawthorne
- Playing a game of “find the moral of the story” or “find the secret sin” with Hawthorne rarely yields answers
- Regarding Hawthorne as a Puritan out of his time does not fit either
- Approaching his tales as simple allegories will frustrate and flummox
- Trying to identify the “good” character is impossible
“Curse you Hawthorne!”-----
How to Approach Hawthorne
- Think of him as a modern, complex human being
- Don’t try to reduce his tales to a moral lesson
- Instead look for the difficult questions that his stories inspire
- He is comfortable depicting moral gray areas in his work and we must look for those areas to “get him”
