The Power of Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay - 3056 Words

The Power of Nathaniel Hawthorne New England in the early 1800s, before the Civil War, was a place teeming with artists, intellectuals, and reformers of every sort. Many of Americas great literary geniuses came out of this era; and among the greatest of these was Nathaniel Hawthorne. He was, as Q. D. Leavis put it, the critic and interpreter of American cultural history and thereby the finder and creator of a literary tradition (Kaul 27), and, a sociological novelist in effect, employing a poetic technique which communicates instead of stating his findings (Kaul 28). In his stories, Hawthorne pointed out many characteristics of American society and of human nature, and brought about a new tradition in American literature.†¦show more content†¦They did so again the next summer, and in 1818 became, in Elizabeths words, permanent residents of Raymond (Van Doren 11). In the Maine wilderness, Nathaniel, who because of his injury had become gloomy and listless with the belief that he would never be active again, learned once more to have a good time. His foot had gradually healed, and the woods of Raymond were a place for him to run free and recuperate from the town life that had cramped him. He enjoyed the time in Raymond thoroughly, and hated to leave when, in 1819, his mother decided it was time for him to prepare for the rest of his life. Nathaniel was sent back to Salem, to live once more with his Manning relatives while he was being tutored by Benjamin Oliver in preparation for college. For admission to Bowdoin College, he had to learn to write Latin grammatically, and to be well versed in Geography, in Walshs Arithmetic, Ciceros Select Orations, the Bucolics, Georgics, and the Aeneid of Virgil, Sallust, the Greek Testament, and the Collectanea Graeca Minora (Van Doren 16). This was accomplished by the fall of 1821, and then he entered Bowdoin College in Maine. During his years there he made many friends, two of which were to remain his closest friends throughout his life: Franklin Pierce, later to be President; and Horatio Bridge. Hawthorne was not an outstanding student. He had never liked school, which in those days wasShow MoreRelatedEssay Nathaniel Hawthorne1152 Words   |  5 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne’s hatred of Puritanism was so big that he described in many of his writing such as The Scarlet Letter and The Minster Black Veil. He usually satirized them as evildoers and sin creators, not holy and Christ zealous as they described themselves. Hawthorne also used the effects of mysterious human mind and spontaneous action to describe the Puritan as satanic worship and God disobedience. In result, his writing reflected much of his Puritan ancestry affections. Nathaniel HawthorneRead MoreThe Birth Mark By Nathaniel Hawthorne1730 Words   |  7 PagesHawthorne illustrates an awe-inspiring example of how human imperfection is natural and the way we are created is how we shall remain, perfectly imperfect. It is difficult not to consider the world today and how much plastic surgeons profit and customers pay, just to reflect an ideal image. This story is published in the eighteenth century, which depicts a mad scientist (Aylmer) who claims to have the ability to create perfection in the imperfect, Godly creation of his wife (Georgiana). The marriageRead MoreThe Use of Color Symbolism by Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay1024 Words   |  5 PagesIs it possible for an author to utilize so much symbolism that it captivates the reader to the extent of paralleling the tale with their own life? The principle of symbolism is quite evident in the story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†. 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The Scarlet Letter is a revolutionary novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne examining the ugliness, complexity, and strength of the human spirit and character that shares new ideas about independence and the struggles women faced in 17th century America. Throughout the novel, Hester’s refusal to removeRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne999 Words   |  4 Pages Nathaniel Hawthorne is the author of the prodigious book entitled The Scarlet Letter. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne commits adultery with Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. Her husband, Roger Chillingworth, soon finds out about the incident after it becomes clear that she is pregnant. The whole town finds out and Hester is tried and punished. Meanwhile, Roger Chillingworth goes out then on a mission to get revenge by beco ming a doctor and misprescribing Dimmesdale. He does this to torture Dimmesdale