NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE, THE MAN, AMERICAN WRITER (1804-1864)
Contemporary of Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)
Born on July 4th in Salem, Massachusetts
His ancestors include his great-great grandfather, John Hathorne, a judge during the Salem Witch Trials. Nathaniel later added a "w" to make his name "Hawthorne", leading many to believe that Nathaniel wanted to disconnect from his great-great grandfather because of his executions and disinterest in repenting for his actions at the Salem Witch Trials.
In 1821-1825, he attended and ultimately graduated from Bowdoin College
In 1828-1837, he published a novel and many short stories, which appeared in magazines.
In 1836 Hawthorne served as the editor of the American Magazine of Useful and Entertaining Knowledge.
In 1842, he married Sophia Peabody, a painter and illustrator, and the couple resided in Massachusetts, moving around a bit to Salem, Concord, and the Berkshires.
In 1850, Hawthorne published The Scarlet Letter, which was about Puritan Boston in the years 1642-1649, focusing on the sin of adultery, guilt and repentance. Numerous novels and short stories followed.
On May 19th, 1864, Hawthorne died, leaving behind his wife and their three children.
Much of Hawthorne's writing centers on New England (Massachusetts, in particular), and many works are moral allegories with a focus on Puritan life. His themes often center on evil and sin of humanity, and his works often have moral messages (what's right and wrong).