Nathaniel Hawthorne No Ordinary Author Essay - 3147 Words

The Romantic Period served as a breeding ground for some of Americas most extraordinary authors. Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Ralph Waldo Emerson are just some of the names that graced this Golden Era of American literature. Great as they were, these men still lacked a significant amount of originality. Relating their themes and structures results in little to no variation. One author, though born into the era of Romanticism dared to expand the possibilities nineteenth - century literature had to offer. Through works such as Young Goodman Brown, The Ministers Black Veil, and The Birthmark, Nathaniel Hawthorne incorporated Romanticism into his own style. Including ordinary men,†¦show more content†¦I have a very general acquaintance here in New England, (Goodman 1035) states the devil, referring to all of the hypocritical Puritans who have graced his presence. This realization leads to the sealing of Young Goodman Browns d oubts in his community. It is thus the beginning of Goodman Browns initiation into the devils communion, an act experienced by New Englanders generations before him. Through his initial Puritan beliefs and upstanding reputation, Goodman Brown is simply an ordinary Puritan with ordinary beliefs. The appearance of the devil causes Goodman Browns faith in his beliefs to falter - an experience felt by many New Englanders. Ordinary Man finds his way into other Hawthorne stories as well. Reverend Hooper in The Ministers Black Veil, for example is just a small-town preacher, who, for more reasons than one segregates himself from the world by wearing an eternal black veil. The veil increases the superstition of the townspeople. An action beyond their comprehension, the ministers decision confuses them. They know not what to think. Some townspeople even see the veil as a curse. They worry that his residence over a wedding will portend nothing but evil (Minister 223) to the ceremony. Thus, black, an archetype for awful things, gives the people a negative feeling. They fear that it will jinx the new couple. Society, through its superstitious beliefs, sees the minister and hisShow MoreRelatedDevelopment Of Narrative, By Nathaniel Hawthorne, And Edgar Allen Poe1302 Words   |  6 Pagesstories did not begin to develop as a dedicated, intentional genre until the early 1800s, when authors su ch as Washington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Edgar Allen Poe began to attract readers with them. These authors were from the Romanticism period. Three characteristics of Romanticism are having a profound love of nature, passionate nationalism, and a fascination with the supernatural. Stories by these authors share dark times and mysterious events. Irving uses the pseudonym to create a personaRead MoreWhat Is The Theme Of Adultery In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne980 Words   |  4 PagesThe Scarlet Letter Essay Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter is about a Puritan woman named Hester Prynne. She lives in a 17th   century colonial Puritan town and is forced to wear a scarlet letter â€Å"A† on her dress for the rest of her life due to her sin of adultery. She gives birth to a little girl who she names Pearl in prison. Hester is known as the adulterer because her husband has not been seen with her because he went to learn medicine from the Indians. Hester becoming pregnant whichRead MoreRomanticism s Impact On America Essay1374 Words   |  6 Pages nature, imagination and emotion, individualism, freedom, and primitivism. Intuition focused on human instinct and responses as opposed to logic, making it an inspiration for people of that time. Nature was highly valued during this time period; authors would often personify nature and vividly describe it. Imagination allowed the readers to escape the reality of their own society and go into a different realm, making it a major inspiration to society. One of the significant features of the literaryRead MoreRomanticism s Impact On America Essay1376 Words   |  6 Pages nature, imagination and emotion, individualism, freedom, and primitivism. Intuition focused on human instinct and responses as opposed to logic, making it an inspiration for people of that time. Nature was highly valued during this time period; authors would often personify nature and vividly describe it. Imagination allowed the readers to escape the reality of their own society and go into a different realm, making it a major inspiration to society. One of the significant features of the literaryRead MoreSymbolism in The Scarlet Letter Essay1252 Words   |  6 Pagescomplex or abstract ideas. By expressing an idea in the form of an image, the reader can visualize the concept more concretely. The old expression, â€Å"a picture is worth a thousand words,† applies to symbolism as the author creates a visual representation of ideas. The use of symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter helps to illuminate the overall meaning of the work. At the beginning of the book, the reader is introduced to a dark and gloomy town that had first built a prison and a cemeteryRead More Romanticism in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown, The Birthmark, and Rappaccinis Daughter1065 Words   |  5 PagesRomanticism in Young Goodman Brown, The Birth-Mark, and Rappaccinis Daughter  Ã‚  Ã‚      Nathaniel Hawthorne gives his own definition of romanticism in the preface to The House of Seven Gables. According to Hawthorne, the writer of a romance may claim a certain latitude and may deepen and enrich the shadows of the picture, as long as he does not swerve aside from the truth of the human heart. The writer of a romance will be wise...to mingle the Marvelous as long as he does it to a slightRead MoreThe New American Literature : The Period Of Romanticism Essay1265 Words   |  6 PagesTranscendentalist believed in valuing yourself more than society. Writers started to stress the theory of individuals being of more importance than society, which in turn led the people in this period to start to value themselves more (Romanticism). Literary authors prior to this period focused on details surrounding society. The romantic novels developed during the period allowed the readers to go into a non- realistic world and forget about the realism of society. It is mentioned that  "[w]hile Americans embracedRead MoreImperfection In The Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne1199 Words   |  5 Pages Imperfection in Scarlet We set our scene in a Puritan town in 1600s New England. Nathaniel Hawthorne weaves a tale of imperfection, guilt, and secret sin. In the strict town, resident Hester Prynne stands upon a scaffold with a baby and a Scarlet Letter upon her bosom, both tokens of her sin. The intricate letter â€Å"A† stands for her very sin of adultery which lead to the birth of the child in her arms. The townspeople cannot help but stare at symbol of imperfection, but they cannot stare at whatRead MoreEssay about Narrative Styles In Poe, Melville, Hawthorne1171 Words   |  5 Pagesall three authors utilize a â€Å"conversational† tone for the function of their work. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In works by three of the most classically American authors of the nineteenth century, Melville, Poe, and Hawthorne, a trait that can be considered common to all three authors is pronounced clearly as a means to their narration. This trait is that of deploying a narrative laden with- and moreover led by –conversational phrasing and asides. The flow of passages in these authors’ works, BartlebyRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne : Characteristics Natural World Will Help Discover The Truth Behind Reality1229 Words   |  5 Pagesgreat artist. Subsequent generations have agreed. Nathaniel Hawthorne: Characteristics natural world will help discover the truth behind reality. Wrote novels and stories- gothic and romantic style According to Old Sturbridge Village An 1830s New England Living History Museum â€Å"Hawthorne used his novels and stories to probe the recurring mysteries of sin, guilt, and moral choice, but his works were also saturated with New England s history† Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story published in 1835 â€Å"Young