Hawthorne Nathaniel: a short biography of the writer

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Nathaniel Hawthorne is the recognized master of the pen in American literature. He worked in the era of romanticism and enriched it greatly with his work, making the novel genre popular.

Early life

The writer was born in 1804 in Salem. His ancestors emigrated from England and settled pretty well in America. In particular, his great-great-grandfather was one of the leaders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. And the entire male line subsequently occupied fairly high positions, including judges. The famous Salem witch trial was conducted by the writer's great-grandfather John Hawthorne.

Nathaniel was the son of a sea captain who died of a fever when the boy was four years old. His mother and two sisters were left in the care of relatives.

As a child, Hawthorne suffered a serious leg injury and remained lame for life.

At the age of twelve, Nathaniel moved with his family to Maine, where he lived on a farm. Subsequently, his thoughts will often return to those times, missing the dense forests and the unimaginable silence of those places.

He returned to Salem to finish school there. From an early age he was drawn to literary activity, and he evenself-produced a newspaper filled with original works.

At the urging of his uncle Hawthorne, Nathaniel entered Bowdoin College, graduating in 1825. Studying did not make much sense to him, especially since he was not going to become a lawyer, as his uncle wanted. Nathaniel had more and more of his head in the clouds, dreaming of a career as a writer.

Creativity

The writer has always considered himself guilty of being related to his Puritan ancestors, who led many people to be executed during the Salem trials. He tried his best to protect himself from being related to them.

Many of his works are filled with guilt against the backdrop of past events, and the theme of the sins of the ancestors is raised almost constantly.

His first novel, Fanshawe, was published in 1828 but failed. However, Hawthorne did not despair, he continued to create, wrote many short stories on mystical and fairy-tale themes, released several collections of children's stories (including "Grandfather's Chair", "Book of Wonders").

Because his financial situation was very difficult, Nathaniel worked as an overseer at customs. To do this, he often had to visit Boston. The need for this disappeared after the release of his novel "The Scarlet Letter".

The work caused a great resonance not only in American society, but also in Europe, immediately making the name of Nathaniel Hawthorne famous.

"The Scarlet Letter" tells the story of Esther Prin, who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a child while her husband is away. Nobody knew if he was alive. Society was intolerant of the girl, condemned her and sentenced her to civil execution. She was tied to a post and the letter "A" was embroidered on her clothes with red thread, which was a mark of her betrayal.

Ester's husband soon returned and, learning about what had happened, tried to find out who his rival was. It turned out to be a local young priest.

Nathaniel Hawthorne, whose books have always been distinguished by the seriousness of the social and psychological problems de alt with, has been criticized by religious organizations, while readers and literary critics have received the work enthusiastically.

Recent years

Four years Hawthorne Nathaniel lived in Europe, holding the post of ambassador there. He traveled extensively across the continent, and when he returned to America, he was in the midst of the Civil War.

His friend Franklin Pierce, the former President of the country, was declared a traitor. It was believed that it was because of his short-sighted activities that relations between the North and the South reached a decisive point.

And since Hawthorne Nathaniel dedicated a book to his friend, his reputation was also lost. And recent popularity has turned against him.

In recent years, Hawthorne suffered from severe abdominal pain. Despite this, he, along with his friend Pierce, went to New Hampshire on an excursion. There, during the night stop, he died. It happened on May 19, 1864.

It is noteworthy that on this very night his eldest son Julian was initiatedin the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity at Harvard. All night he lay in a closed coffin, blindfolded.

Private life

In 1842, the writer married Sophia Peabody. Their marriage was very happy, despite the warehouses of the characters of both. Young people were very shy, Sofia was quiet, Nathaniel was reserved.

The couple had three children: daughters Una and Rose and son Julian.