The House of the Seven Gables

The House of the Seven Gables. A novel by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1851 by Ticknor and Fields. The work is a dark romantic tale set in a gloomy New England mansion, exploring themes of ancestral sin, guilt, and retribution. Hawthorne described it as a romance, allowing a mixture of the imaginary with the commonplace, and it remains a seminal work of 19th-century American literature.

Plot summary

The narrative centers on the cursed Pyncheon family, whose fortunes are built upon the wrongful execution of Matthew Maule for witchcraft, after which Colonel Pyncheon seizes Maule's land to build the titular house. Generations later, the current residents include the elderly and frail Hepzibah Pyncheon, who opens a small shop, and her enigmatic brother Clifford Pyncheon, recently released from prison after a wrongful conviction for murder. Their quiet despair is disrupted by the arrival of their vibrant young cousin, Phoebe Pyncheon, from the countryside. The plot thickens with the schemes of the villainous Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon, who seeks a mythical deed to vast Maine lands, and the arrival of the mysterious lodger Holgrave, a daguerreotypist who is revealed to be a descendant of Matthew Maule. The climax involves the sudden death of Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon, the resolution of the family curse, and the union of Phoebe Pyncheon and Holgrave, symbolizing a hopeful new beginning free from the past's burdens.

Major themes

Hawthorne intricately weaves themes of ancestral guilt and the lasting consequences of the past upon the present, a concept deeply informed by his own family history, including his ancestor John Hathorne of the Salem witch trials. The corrupting nature of greed and the pursuit of wealth, embodied by figures like Colonel Pyncheon and Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon, is a central critique. The novel contrasts the oppressive weight of history with the possibility of redemption and renewal, often symbolized by characters like Phoebe Pyncheon and the artistic, progressive Holgrave. Furthermore, it examines the conflict between the old aristocratic order, represented by the decaying house and its inhabitants, and the emerging democratic and commercial spirit of America, a tension also present in works like The Marble Faun.

Publication history

Following the great success of The Scarlet Letter in 1850, Hawthorne quickly completed this new "romance." It was published on April 9, 1851, by the Boston firm Ticknor and Fields, which became his permanent publisher. The first printing was a sizable 2,500 copies, which sold out within a month, leading to a second edition. The novel was dedicated to his friend and literary patron Horatio Bridge, and in the preface, Hawthorne clearly distinguishes the work from his earlier novel, stating it possesses a more "humorous" and "familiar" tone despite its dark subject matter. Early printings featured illustrative engravings by Hammatt Billings.

Critical reception and legacy

Initial reviews were generally favorable, with many critics in publications like The Literary World and The North American Review praising its imaginative power and moral depth, though some found its pace slow. Notable contemporaries like Herman Melville hailed it in a letter to Hawthorne as a work of "great power." Over time, its status as a classic of American literature has been secured, though it has often been considered secondary to The Scarlet Letter in critical esteem. Scholars frequently analyze it for its exploration of Puritan history, its use of allegory, and its commentary on the Transcendentalism of his neighbors in Concord, Massachusetts, such as Ralph Waldo Emerson. The novel is a foundational text in the study of American Romanticism and the Gothic tradition in the United States.

Adaptations

The novel has been adapted for various media, reflecting its enduring cultural resonance. A notable silent film version was produced in 1910 by the Thanhouser Company. A more famous sound adaptation is the 1940 film directed by Joe May and starring George Sanders as Jaffrey Pyncheon and Margaret Lindsay as Hepzibah Pyncheon. It has also been adapted for television, including a 1960 episode of the series Shirley Temple's Storybook. The story inspired a 1967 opera by Scott E. Parmenter. Furthermore, the historic Turner-Ingersoll House in Salem, Massachusetts, believed to be Hawthorne's inspiration, is now a museum named The House of the Seven Gables and is a designated National Historic Landmark District.

Category:1851 American novels Category:American Gothic novels Category:Novels by Nathaniel Hawthorne