Nathaniel Hawthorne born Nathaniel Hathorne ; July 4, β May 19, was an American novelist and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion. He was born in in Salem, Massachusetts , from a family long associated with that town. Hawthorne entered Bowdoin College in , was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in , [ 1 ] and graduated in He published his first work in , the novel Fanshawe ; he later tried to suppress it, feeling that it was not equal to the standard of his later work.
The following year, he became engaged to Sophia Peabody. He worked at the Boston Custom House and joined Brook Farm , a transcendentalist community, before marrying Peabody in The Scarlet Letter was published in , followed by a succession of other novels.
A political appointment as consul took Hawthorne and family to Europe before their return to Concord in Hawthorne died on May 19, Much of Hawthorne's writing centers on New England , and many works feature moral metaphors with an anti- 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. His published works include novels, short stories, and a biography of his college friend Franklin Pierce , written for his campaign for President of the United States , which Pierce won, becoming the 14th president.
Nathaniel Hathorne, as his name was originally spelled, was born on July 4, , in Salem , Massachusetts; his birthplace is preserved and open to the public. He settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts , before moving to Salem. There he became an important member of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and held many political positions, including magistrate and judge, becoming infamous for his harsh sentencing.
