Nathaniel Hawthorne and The Scarlet Letter

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE Born July 4, 1804 in Salem, MA Education: Bowdoin College in Maine Married Sophia Peabody in 1842 3 Children Briefly worked as a surveyor, creating maps Moved to England, France, and Rome after Salem Died in 1864

HISTORICAL CONTEXT The Scarlet Letter was finished in 1850. So to what “period” of American Literature does Hawthorne belong? 1650-1570: Early Colonial period- Puritan writings 1750-1800: Later Colonial period- Age of Reason/Enlightenment

Hawthorne’s Family Influence Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts The original name of his family was Hathorne, but he added a 'w' to distinguish himself from his ancestors His ancestors included John Hathorne, a prominent judge in the Salem Witch Trials The Hathorne legacy was one of strict Puritanism, which Hawthorne grappled with in his stories and novels

NOVEL OVERVIEW The Scarlet Letter tells the story of Hester Prynne, who has committed adultery and must wear a scarlet "A" publicly as punishment. When her husband, whom she believed to be dead, suddenly reappears, he is determined to discover the identity of the father of Hester's child. Through the use of rich symbolism and supernatural events, Hawthorne shows the destructive effects of guilt and revenge.

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE “The Scarlet Letter is powerfully written but my writings do not, nor ever will, appeal to the broadest class of sympathies, and therefore will not obtain a very wide popularity.” -Hawthorne