Selected Short Stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Selected Short Stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne by Nathaniel Hawthorne

A key figure in the development of American literature, Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) is best remembered as the author of The Scarlet Letter. The New England native also wrote scores of short stories, many of them reflecting his Puritan heritage in their preoccupation with evil, guilt, and sin. Rich in allegorical detail and symbolic imagery, Hawthorne's darkly romantic tales are characterized by the struggle for freedom from social conventions.
This original selection of Hawthorne's short fiction features The Wives of the Dead, concerning widows' reactions to their losses; The Gray Champion, a tale of the supernatural; and Wakefield, in which a runaway husband can't quite let go. Other stories include The Ambitious Guest, The Minister's Black Veil, The May-Pole of Merry Mount, The Great Carbuncle, Lady Eleanore's Mantle, The Celestial Rail-road, The Seven Vagabonds, and David Swan. The collection concludes with the haunting fable Fragments from the Journal of a Solitary Man.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel: - Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804 - May 19, 1864) was an American novelist, dark romantic, and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion. He was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, the only judge involved in the Salem witch trials who never repented of his actions. He entered Bowdoin College in 1821, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in 1824, and graduated in 1825. He published his first work in 1828, the novel Fanshawe; he later tried to suppress it, feeling that it was not equal to the standard of his later work. He published several short stories in periodicals, which he collected in 1837 as Twice-Told Tales. The next year, he became engaged to Sophia Peabody. He worked at the Boston Custom House and joined Brook Farm, a transcendentalist community, before marrying Peabody in 1842. The couple moved to The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts, later moving to Salem, the Berkshires, then to The Wayside in Concord. The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. A political appointment as consul took Hawthorne and family to Europe before their return to Concord in 1860. Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864, and was survived by his wife and their three children. Much of Hawthorne's writing centers on New England, many works featuring moral metaphors with an anti-Puritan inspiration. His fiction works are considered part of the Romantic movement and, more specifically, dark romanticism. His themes often center on the inherent evil and sin of humanity, and his works often have moral messages and deep psychological complexity. His published works include novels, short stories, and a biography of his college friend Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780449300121
ISBN 10	0449300129
Title	Selected Short Stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne
Author	Nathaniel Hawthorne
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Random House USA Inc
Year published	1983-04-12
Number of pages	256
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.