The American Romanticism (III) Lecture Six exit continue I. Nathanial Hawthorne 1. Life a. born into the family of a sea captain b. When he was born, his family declined. He was aware of his ancestors' misdeeds and thus "blackness of Hawthorne" formed. He thought that the reason of his family's decline is his ancestors' misdeeds. c. In 1821 he entered Bowdoin College and graduated in 1825 in the class with Longfellow and Franklin Pierce, later president of the United States. 1853-1857 d. The next twelve years were so-called “seclusion”, when he lived in his mother’s Salem home to read widely and prepare for his literary career. e. Lately, he worked in the US Custom House. f. After Pierce became president, he was asked to be the consul in Liverpool and Italy. g. After 1860 Hawthorne lived in Concord and devoted his remaining years to literature until he died suddenly while on a trip to New Hampshire with his lifelong friend Pierce. exit continue 2. Works 1. Short story collections: a. Twice-Told Tales 《故事新编》 b. Moses from an Old Manse《古屋青苔》 2. Novels: a. Scarlet Letter《红字》 b. The House of Seven Gables《七个尖角阁的房子》 c. The Blithedale Romance《福谷传奇》; d. The Marble Faun《大理石神像》 exit continue 3. The Blackness in Hawthorne a. Evil is at the core of human life. b. Most of his works deals with evil one way or another. c. Because sin or evil can be passed from generation to generation, sin will get punished, one way or another. d. He is of the opinion that evil educates. e. One source of evil in Hawthorne is overweening intellect. The tension between the head (intellect) and the heart (warmth and feeling) constitutes one of the elements that make his writing enchanting. exit continue 4. Hawthorne’s theory of Romance He took a great interest in history and antiquity. To him these furnish the soil on which his mind grows to fruition. b. He was convinced that romance was the predestined form of American narrative. To tell the truth and
