教育英美文学课件6NathanielHawth.ppt

Nathaniel Hawthorne （ July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) ? American novelist and short story writer ? Much of Hawthorne's writing centers around New England, many works featuring moral allegories with a Puritan inspiration. ? His fiction works are considered part of the Romantic movement and, more specifically, dark romanticism. ? His themes often center on the inherent evil and sin of humanity , and his works often have moral messages and deep psychological complexity. Features of His Works ? A. sense of sin and evil (sin and punishment) ? B. tension between head (intellect) and heart (emotion) The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne The Scarlet Letter (1850) is a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, considered to be his masterpiece. Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston , it tells the story of Hester Prynne , who gives birth after committing adultery and struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. About the novel ? Hawthorne creates a sense of ambiguity or uncertainty in readers, using metaphors to create this effect. ? The novel is not realistic — characters are symbols, not real people ? The novel may be considered an allegory, a tale in which characters, actions, or settings represent abstract ideas or moral qualities. Although commonly called a novel ? Considered to be a “ romance ” – Concerned with “ internal truths ” or “ truths of the human heart ” – Use of imagination rather than realistic representations – Embellishes relationship between human and nature ?Hawthorne called the novel a “romance”— not tied to ordinary experience. ? Hawthorne makes this distinction because at the time he was writing, novels were supposed to deal with realistic representations of human experiences or external truths. Romances allowed the author to deviate from reality in favor of imagination. ? Thus The Scarlet Letter is not an historical novel about Puritan Boston, but a