Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864)

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Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864)

• Writers, for better or worse,
• are gods of their own universe
• -- Neil LaBute, playwright (2004)

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Background

• 1804 Born Nathaniel Hathorne in Salem, MA
  added the w when he was first published
• Bowdoin College graduate, 1825
• Related to William Hathorne (Winthrops era) and
  John Hathorne (character in The Crucible). He did
  not want to be associated with these men, hence
  the changing of his name to Hawthorne
• Between the ages of 21-31 (1825-1835) he
  withdrew from the world. In his later life he
  referred to this time as his dark years, the
  period wherein he discovered his art.
• 1836 married Sophia Peabody, a
  UtopianTranscendentalist. Of Sophia he wrote,
  she is, in the strictest sense, my sole
  companion and I need no otherthere is no
  vacancy in my mind, any more than in my heart..."

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Hawthornes Content

• The interior of the heart the world of his
  Imagination the place where sin and guilt
  reside a world of darkness, of secrets
• T he drama of human suffering i.e. being human
  having to endure suffering
• In1850 Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter in
  order to
• Disclose the drama of human suffering
• Expose the world and fallen humanity as
  sin-sick
• Illuminate characters living in a dark world
  burdened with post-Edenic sin and guilt

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Hawthornes Style

• Stylistic techniques
• SYMBOLS (e.g. ray of sunshine)
• MOTIFS (e.g. light/dark imagery)
• JUXTAPOSITION of images
• PARADOX
• AMBIGUITY
• Where have you seen these techniques in the
  reading?

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Questions

• How specifically is The Scarlet Letter a Late
  Romantic text? Where, if at all, do you see
  connections to Poes critical theories?
• What is the view of Nature?
• Where do you see examples of Mutability,
  Nebulosity/Mystery, Sentiment vs. Reason, etc.?

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Questions

• What is Hawthornes tone?
• What is Hawthornes attitude toward the Puritans?
  What diction (word choice) establishes this
  attitude?
• (To follow momentarily model presentation of
  chapter 1)

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Beginning tomorrow

• Graded in-class presentations, 4 chapters at a
  time. Will take place every day, concluding next
  Friday 11/21.
• Four student presenters will be chosen at the
  beginning of each period. They will be
  responsible for teaching that days 4 chapters.
  Specific presentation guidelines will be posted
  online later today.
• All presentations must follow todays chapter 1
  model presentation.
• Chapters to be presented tomorrow 2, 3, 4 5.