Hawthorne's wilderness : nature and Puritanism in Hawthorne's the Scarlet letter and "Young Goodman Brown" / Marina Boonyaprasop.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Boonyaprasop, Marina.

Contributor:

ebrary, Inc., Content Provider.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Puritans in literature.

Nature in literature.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864. Scarlet letter.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864. Young Goodman Brown.

Physical Description:

108 p. : ill.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Hamburg : Anchor Academic Pub., 2013.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of America's most noted and highly praised writers, and a key figure in US literature. Although, he struggled to become an acknowledged author for most parts of his life, his work "stands in the limelight of the American literary consciousness" (Graham 5). For he is a direct descendant of Massachusetts Bay colonists in the Puritan era of the 17th and 18th century, New England served as a lifelong preoccupation for Hawthorne, and inspired many of his best-known stories. Hence, in order to understand the author and his work, it is crucial to apprehend the historical background from which his stories arose. The awareness of the Puritan legacy in Hawthorne's time, and their Calvinist beliefs which contributed to the establishment of American identity, serve as a basis for fathoming the intention behind Hawthorne's writings. His forefathers' concept of wilderness became an important part of their religious life, and in many of Hawthorne's tales, nature can be perceived as an active agent for the plot and the moral message. Therefore, it is indispensable to consider the development behind the Puritan perception, as well as the prevailing opinion on nature during the writer's lifetime. After the historical background has been depicted, the author himself is focused. His ambiguous character and non-persistent lifestyle are the source of many themes which can be retrieved from his works. Thus, understanding the man behind the stories is necessary in order to analyze the tales themselves. Seclusion, nature, and Puritanism are constantly recurring topics in the author's life and work. To become familiar with Hawthorne's relation to nature, his ancestors, and religion, it is essential to understand the vast amount of symbols his stories. His stories will be brought into focus, and will be analyzed on the basis of the historical and

biographical facts, and further, his particular style and purpose will be taken into consideration.The second part of this book analyzes two of the author's most eminent and esteemed works, namely 'Young Goodman Brown' and 'The Scarlet Letter' in terms of nature symbolism and the underlying moral intention. Further, it is examined to which extent the images correspond to the formerly explained historical facts, and Hawthorne's emphasized characteristic features. The comparison of the two works focuses on the didactic purpose for in all of his works, Hawthorne's aim was to give a lesson. Thus, it will provide an in-depth understanding of the author's intentions and his utilization of Puritanism and nature perception.

Contents:

Hawthorne's Wilderness: Nature and Puritanism in Hawthorne's The Scarlett Letter and "Young Goodman Brown

Content

1 Introduction

2 Historical Background

2.1 The Puritans

2.1.1 The Rise of Puritanism in England

2.1.2 Puritanism in North America

2.1.3 Puritan Beliefs

2.2 The Concept of Nature in Western History

3 Hawthorne - Man and Writer

3.1 Biography

3.2 The "absurd misconception" of Nathaniel Hawthorne

3.3 Nathaniel Hawthorne, "lover of nature"

3.4 Hawthorne, Hathorne, and God

3.4.1 The Burden of Puritan Legacy

3.4.2 Mr God, This is Nathaniel

3.4.3 Religion and Puritanism in Hawthorne's Works

3.5 Symbolism and Moral in Hawthorne's Tales

4 Consulting Major Works

4.1 The Reason of Choice

4.2 The Dilemma of Young Goodman Brown

4.2.1 The Validity of Names

4.2.2 The Devil along the Path

4.2.3 Devout Sinners

4.2.4 Light and Darkness

4.2.4.1 The Sun upon Salem

4.2.4.2 The Darkness of the Forest

4.2.5 The Mocking Forest

4.2.6 Puritanism Upside Down

4.3 Reading The Scarlet Letter

4.3.1 What's in a Name?

4.3.2 The Color Palette of The Scarlet Letter

4.3.3 Light and Darkness

4.3.3.2 Mirror, Mirror

4.3.4 Waters of the Past and Future

4.3.4.1 The Blue Babbling of a Brook

4.3.4.2 The Freedom of the Ocean

4.3.4.3 Godly Waters

4.3.5 Symbols in the Air

4.3.5.1 A Breath of Fresh Air

4.3.5.2 Free as a Bird

4.3.6 Between Heathen Forest and Cultivated Land

4.3.6.1 The Governor's Pride

4.3.6.2 The Capabilities of Forest Wilderness

4.3.6.3 The In-Between

4.3.7 Say It with Flowers

4.3.7.1 Cemetery, Prison, and a Shrub

4.3.7.2 A Bouquet of Flowers and Pearls

4.3.7.3 Tainted Flowers

4.3.8 Moss-Covered Memories

4.3.9 The Letter Unfolded

4.3.10 The Letter Concluded

4.4 The Scarlet Letter of Young Goodman Brown.

5 Conclusion

Works Cited

Picture Credits.

Notes:

"Disseminate knowledge"--Cover.

OCLC:

854977196