Nathaniel Hawthorne

1. Nathaniel
Hawthorne
1804 - 1864

2.  Unhappy childhood
Father died when he was four
His grieving mother became
reclusive for the remaining forty
years of her life
 After graduating from college,
Hawthorne secluded himself at his
mother’s home for 12 years to dedicate
himself to writing and reading

3.  Manyof his stories are drawn from the
darker aspects of his Puritan heritage
His great-grandfather was a judge at
the Salem witchcraft trials
Legendary Salem was in his blood
Ingredients of his stories:
Black magic
Witchcraft
Alchemy

4.  Writings center around three major
themes:
Intellectual pride
Secret sin
Using science for prideful reasons
with no regard for human feelings

5.  Writings include:
The Scarlet Letter
The House of the Seven Gables
Twice Told Tales
“Dr.Heidegger’s Experiment”
“The Minister’s Black Veil”
“The Wedding Knell”

6.  Eventually, Hawthorne became
despondent over money, his poor
health, and his inability to write. Died
in 1864 at the age of sixty.