Era Influence within Hawthorne’s Literature

✅ Paper Type: Free Essay	✅ Subject: Literature
✅ Wordcount: 2652 words	✅ Published: 8th Feb 2020

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Nathaniel Hawthorne, a newly emerging author in the time of Romanticism, made his mark in literature for his engrossing views on sin and his distinctive display of emotions. Hawthorne’s literature is known all around the world due to his abstract use of imagery and complex themes. Some of his most prestigious works include, The Scarlet Letter, Twice-Told Tales and, “The Minister’s Black Veil”. Literature written by Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes a constant use of negative diction, imagery, and figurative language that display the influence of the time period in which he wrote.

Born in 1804, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s childhood and the period in which he was raised, greatly influenced the way he constructed his literature. Due to the passing of his father, Hawthorne was forced to live with his mother. It is within this setting that Nathaniel did not receive the attention and love a child ordinarily would. In fact it is to be said that, “the mother never shared a meal with the family after the death of her husband, and it is in this gloomy, almost Gothic atmosphere that the young Hawthorne grew up” (UXL, 2003, para.5). This melancholy environment deeply impacted Hawthorne’s childhood, for he grew up majorly in isolation. Later in his life, Hawthorne enrolled in Bowdoin College in Maine, there he become informed that his ancestors played a large part during the Puritan time period. He learned that one of his ancestors had executed multiple Quakers, and another served as a judge during the Salem Witch Trials (Exploring, 2003, para.3). As a result of this, “Many critics believe that the guilt Hawthorne felt over his family history prompted him to write about themes exploring the evil of man and original sin” (Exploring, 2003, para.3). The resentment he felt towards his ancestors resulted in the changing of his birth name, Nathaniel Hathorne, to Nathaniel Hawthorne. Throughout the duration of his life, Hawthorne wrote an abundance of novels and short stories. Known for his use of imagery and complex understanding of moral status, Hawthorne’s works are some of the most influential of his time period. For many believe that, “Hawthorne claimed a central place in American letters, becoming, in time, an influential force in the artistic development of such writers” (Hawthorne, 2009, para.1). Passing away in May of 1864, Hawthorne left a notable mark on literature forever.

The time in which Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote, began the Romanticism movement in the early nineteenth century. An end to the European Enlightenment (Robinson, 2006, para.1), society was moving from an extremely restricted life style to a more intuitive and free living. Romanticism is a movement in which literature, art, and music became a means of expression, focusing on individuality and emotion. This movement was a base of loosening moral restrictions and focusing on the guidance of ones emotions, which was greatly expressed through literature. Individuality was a major focus within this movement,“Romantic writers and artists instead sought to better understand their own instincts and natural responses, urges, and desires” (Romanticism, 2012, para.7). Authors used literature as a way to express and gain a better understand of individuals feelings. Romanticism challenged logic and influenced the reader to take an alternate perspective on life. Supernatural aspects were commonly found within literature, for these artist believed imagination took place over reason. It is said that authors, “explored altered states of consciousness as a means of unlocking the hidden creative powers of the mind” (Romanticism, 2012, para.6). The contemporary idea of imagination fascinated Romanticist and allowed them to escape societal and moral constraints. Within Romanticism, emotion is valued greatly, “an assertion of the value of the individual self, an intense concern with the inner workings of the perceiving mind, and an affirmation of emotion and instinct” (Robinson, 2006, para.1). Romanticist viewed the individual as a means of entire existence, their emotions meant more to the literary piece as a whole rather than just to the one character. One branch of Romanticism included the genre of Dark Romanticism. This genre is in which Hawthorne wrote. Dark romanticist explored the consequences of guilt and sin, primarily focusing on the idea that all men sin in some way. This time period was not only a time of exploration and understanding one’s self, but also the understanding of nature and the world.

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Hawthorne uses an abundance of figurative language throughout his work in order to further display both the time of Romanticism and his feelings towards the Puritan time period. In “The Minister’s Black Veil”, main character, Mr. Hooper, begins to wear a black veil upon his head. Fiance, Elizabeth, is not fond of this garb and request that he reveal his face to her. Upon her statements, Elizabeth speaks this metaphor, “Come, good sir, let the sun shine from behind the cloud” (Hawthorne, 1832, 477). The comparison of the veil to a cloud displays the impact the veil had on society. A cloud is commonly associated with darkness; the townspeople felt as if the veil carried the effect of such darkness and hid the brightness or “sun shine” from within Mr. Hooper. Hawthorne’s feelings towards the Puritans and the 1600’s were purely created on the idea of how he believed they would behave. Hawthorne painted the Puritans as judgmental and sinful, most likely based off his hatred for his ancestors. Hawthorne felt guilt for the actions of his ancestors and therefor created such characters as judgmental, similarly to how his family had acted during this time. Throughout “The Minister’s Black Veil”, the black veil that Mr. Hooper bears (Hawthorne, 1832) is used as an allegory to present a bigger and more meaningful message. The black veil adds an intensely dark and mysterious aspect to the short story, for it is an constant question between both the town and the people as for why Mr. Hooper wears it. The veil ends up signifying the sin that lies within every individual. This idea about sin was first becoming present during the time of Romanticism. Dark Romanticist such as Hawthorne explored the proposition that every man, no matter his circumstance, would eventually sin. Before this time period, such ideas would be dismissed and considered sinful in themselves. Within the story, “Mr. Heidegger’s Experiment”, water from the Fountain of Youth is dispersed onto a dead flower, in which the rose then consumes life once again. In describing the changing appearance of the rose, Hawthorne uses the simile, “The crushed and dried petals stirred, and assumed a deepening tinge of crimson, as if the flower were reviving from the death-like slumber” (Hawthorne, 1837, 473). The comparison of the flower reviving to the awakening of a death-like slumber allows one to see how dramatic of a change there was in the liveliness of the rose. The use of description through nature was a newly erupting trend in the early 1800’s. Authors began to see the beauty in the nature that surrounded them and repeatedly used it as a way to show depth within the world.

Through the use of imagery, Hawthorne is able to display the influence of the Romanticism movement within his literary works. In the climax of “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment”, the four elder-aged individuals drink the water from the Fountain of Youth, as asked to do so by the doctor. Following the individuals first drink, Hawthorne describes the event, “almost an immediate improvement in the aspect of the party, not unlike what might have been produced by a glass of generous wine, together with a sudden glow of cheerful sunshine, brightening over all their visages at once” (Hawthorne, 1837, 475). Such use of imagery allows one to imagine the scene of the party almost immediately turn from gloomy to cheerful and bright; helping the reader to better grasp the atmospheric change as a result of the water. Supernatural elements were very prominent in the prime of Romanticism. Hawthorne uses the “magic” water as a way to defy reason and open up the use of imagination by the reader, a common thing within Romanticism literature. Following later in “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment”, the men are fighting over who is worthy enough to take the woman out, when within their tussling, they knock over the vase holding the water. Hawthorne describes the spilling of the water, “The precious Water of Youth flowed in a bright stream across the floor, moistening the wings if a butterfly, which, grown old in the decline of summer, had alighted there to die” (Hawthorne, 1837, 478). The description of the butterflies wings being moistened once again exhibits the instantaneous rejuvenating effects of the water, the same that had earlier worked on the people. The supernatural Water of Youth provides an alternate place where individuals can escape the strict moral and regiment of society, a theme of the Romanticism movement. Even if for only a few moments, the individual were allowed to feel youth once again and not feel the suppressed weight of age. Towards the start of “The Minister’s Black Veil”, Mr. Hooper is beginning to make his exit after the closing of the sermon on the day of sabbath. The town, fearful of the minister’s veil, acted distant towards Mr. Hooper. As he departs, Hawthorne states, “A sad smile flickered from beneath the black veil, and flickered about his mouth, glimmering as he disappeared” (Hawthorne, 1832, 474). The image of the minister “sadly smiling” creates a sense of gloom and sadness within himself; it establishes a melancholic mood within the church. The period of Romanticism emphasised on trusting one’s emotions, and authors were able to outwardly display them through pieces of literature. Hawthorne repeatedly used his work to express feelings he carried with him from childhood. The sad smile may have been Hawthorne’s way of expressing the emotions he felt growing up in such a judging and religiously influenced environment.

Throughout the development of his multiple literary pieces, Hawthorne uses diction as a means of expressing emotions related directly to both his ancestral puritans and the Romanticism time period in which he lived. Entering the climax of “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment”, the four individuals gathered with the doctor begin to question as to why he has not tested the magic Water of Youth on himself. In response to this question, the doctor replies, “‘For my own part, having had much trouble in growing old, I am in no hurry to grow young again’” (Hawthorne, 1837, 474). The statement, “much troubles” helps to develop the idea that Heidegger had a troubling childhood, unlike the childhood of the other guest. The idea of youth and recklessness is prominent throughout the story, this opposes the restricted and lonesome childhood that Hawthorne experienced for he spent most of his youth alone and isolated from society. Towards the resolution of the story, “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment”, the doctor is talking to his company about the loss of the Water of Youth when he states, “‘the Water of Youth is all lavished on the ground’” (Hawthorne, 1837, 479). The use of the term “lavished” can be associated with luxuries and wealth; this suggests that the spilling of the Water of Youth was more drastically a spilling of something worth riches. The supernatural Fountain of Youth is looked at as a way to bring happiness and youth back into one’s life. Hawthorne’s use of this idea brings contrast to the life that he lived, for he lived a large duration of his life in a time of poverty and depression within America. After appearing to church bearing a black veil, Mr. Hooper, in “The Minister’s Black Veil”, pursues preaching the sermon when the crowd feels a change in the atmosphere within the kirk. Hawthorne describes the sermon, “It was tinged, rather more darkly than usual, with the gentle gloom of Mr. Hooper’s temperament” (Hawthorne, 1832, 473). The constant use of negative diction such “tinged”, “darkly”, and “gloom” suggest a sense of depression and sorrow about Mr. Hooper. Dark emotions displayed through literature was an important genre of the Romanticism movement. Such Dark Romanticism focused on the fragility of one’s character by emphasising inner themes such as depression, guilt, and sin.

Author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, lived a life primarily in solitaire which contributed to the making of the author he was. Being born in the rise of Romanticism, Hawthorne explored the contemporary idea of trusting one’s emotion and outwardly expressing them through works of literature. His dark view of society categorized him as a dark Romanticist in which he wrote to focus on the faulty aspects of mankind. Within his works, it is evident that Hawthorne uses figurative language, diction, and imagery as a means to showcase the era of Romanticism while incorporating his personal intuition towards such subjects. Gaining an understanding of the time period in which an author writes is crucial in a complete comprehension of the literature, not only does it provide key background information; but it also allows the reader to disconnect from modern biases and view the literature in the form it was authentically written.

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