How does Hawthorne feel about Salem?

How does Hawthorne feel about Salem?

What is this? Hawthorne had a love/hate relationship with Salem too, according to the book The Salem World of Nathaniel Hawthorne: “He often saw Salem as a sleepy, run-down town full of unpainted wooden buildings, living on past glories in a present that was dull and unalluring.”

How does Hawthorne describe the historic Salem?

Hawthorne once described his feeling for Salem as “not love, but instinct.” He was not particularly fond of his hometown and spent much of his life trying to escape, only to be pulled back by circumstances beyond his control.

Why did Nathaniel Hawthorne move to Salem?

A growing family and mounting debts compelled the Hawthornes’ return in 1845 to Salem, where Nathaniel was appointed surveyor of the Custom House by the Polk administration (Hawthorne had always been a loyal Democrat and pulled all the political strings he could to get this appointment).

Did Nathaniel Hawthorne write about the Salem witch trials?

So Hawthorne did write an American historical romance that originates (quite literally, in the opening pages of its first chapter; also biographically, in Hawthorne’s guilt about his ancestor John Hathorne’s role in the trials) with the gloomy wrong of the Salem Witch Trials.

What did Hawthorne believe in?

Hawthorne’s belief in Providence could be discouraging, but it was also a source of strength. Along with Melville, he was one of the great “no-sayers” of 19th-century America. He accepted, imaginatively if not literally, the doctrine of the Fall of Man, and thus the radical imperfection of man.

Did Hawthorne believe in God?

He was torn, fighting to reconcile his darker ancestors and the actions they took in Puritanism’s name with his strong belief in God and his ancestors’ unchangeable role in his family history. Hawthorne believed in the concept of the human soul and revered their existence.

Why did Hawthorne College close?

The town cited unpaid taxes totaling more than $100,000. Faced with no alternatives, trustees declared bankruptcy and are liquidating the college’s holdings.

How did Hawthorne describe himself?

Hawthorne has ambivalent feelings about their role in his life. In his autobiographical sketch, Hawthorne describes his ancestors as “dim and dusky,” “grave, bearded, sable-cloaked, and steel crowned,” “bitter persecutors” whose “better deeds” will be diminished by their bad ones.

What does the narrator find in the Salem Custom House?

The narrator finds writing therapeutic. Contrary to his Puritan ancestors’ assertions, he also discovers it to be practical: his introduction provides a cogent discourse on American history and culture.

When did Nathaniel Hawthorne come back to Salem?

A growing family and mounting debts compelled the Hawthornes’ return in 1845 to Salem, where Nathaniel was appointed surveyor of the Custom House by the Polk administration (Hawthorne had always been a loyal Democrat and pulled all the political strings he could to get this appointment).

Why was Hawthorne interested in the Salem hysteria?

The Salem Witchcraft Hysteria of 1692 and “Young Goodman Brown”. His ancestors’ zealous attacks against Quakers, Indians, and accused “witches” were both a source of interest and of conflict for Hawthorne, who so often explored this history and his connection to it in his writings.

How are Nathaniel Hawthorne and John Hathorne related?

Nathaniel Hathorne is not only related to John Hathorne but also to a number of the accused witches from the Salem Witch Trials: Mary and Philip English, John Proctor and Sarah Wilson, as well as one of the accusers: Sarah Phelps.

Why was Nathaniel Hawthorne interested in guilt and sin?

Hawthorne was very interested in guilt and sin, in part because of his great-great-grandfather’s participation in the Salem Witch Trials. In fact, he was so embarrassed by his ancestor’s guilt that he actually added the “w” to his last name in order to separate himself more fully from Judge Hathorne.