The Life and Works of Nathaniel Hawthorne Revisited

I've mentioned one Mr. Nathaniel Hawthorne in this space numerous times. (Perhaps I should've entitled this post "The Life and Works of Nathaniel Hawthorne Re-revisited"!) And, since I'm more than likely doing my graduate thesis on Hawthorne's involvement in the Brook Farm Experiment, I'll be mentioning his name many more times here. Anyway, I learned a few fascinating facts during my classmate, John's, in-class presentation about one of my favorite authors last night that I will undoubtedly further explore and assimilate into said thesis. For example, Hawthorne spent a good part of his life in a reclusive state in his family's home, along with his mother and sisters; in fact, months would often pass before Hawthorne would even see his sisters. (This aspect of Hawthorne's life is mirrored in "The Notch of the White Mountains" (1835) and "The Ambitious Guest" (1835)-- two short stories in which well-to-do families confine themselves to the perimeters of their cloistered estates, with devastating consequences.) Secondly, Hawthorne was in love with Elizabeth Peabody-- a powerful, intellectual, and influential woman-- but he married her semi-invalid sister, Sophia, instead. I think this shaped and affected his writing in a number of ways, especially in regards to his views on women. Thirdly, Hawthorne was involved in a sometimes dangerous love triangle with fellow Brook Farmer Ralph Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller, a feminist writer and author of Women in the Nineteenth Century, a text in which she advocates for women's rights and describes their position in society, particularly in regards to marriage. After Fuller's death, both Hawthorne and Emerson were very distraught and claimed to sense Fuller's presence all around them. Finally, there is a series of strange stories surrounding the upbringing of the Hawthornes' daughter, Una. More specifically, Una was kept at home, despite the urging of family friends for her parents to send her off to receive a higher education at a college preparatory school in Concord, Mass., that accepted women, as Nathaniel and Sophia did with their son, Julian. As a result, Una began acting out violently. Her "rebellion" landed her in a mental institution, where she was subjected to a primitive form of electro-shock therapy. (This made me question whether Hawthorne had great personal character, even though he is an undeniably great writer. Hmm... yet another angle to explore!) Well, that concludes this mini dissertation. As I learn more about the proposed topic, I'll share my findings with everybody. Stay tuned!