Fanshawe (Annotated)

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Overview

• This edition includes the following editor's introduction: Nathaniel Hawthorne and Dark Romanticism

First published anonymously in 1828, "Fanshawe" is the first novel written by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. The novel was written during or immediately after Hawthorne's college days and published at his own expense.
“Fanshawe” is a hard book to categorize, in that it's a novel in search of a genre. There's a bit of adventure, a dash of romance, a pinch of drama, a few comedic flourishes, but no single element shines through very strongly. Obviously, the key ingredient is Hawthorne's writing, which was already masterful even at this initial stage of his career.

Plot summary
Dr. Melmoth, the President of fictional Harley College, takes into his care Ellen Langton, the daughter of his friend, Mr. Langton, who is at sea. Ellen is a young, beautiful girl and attracts the attentions of the college boys, especially Edward Walcott, a strapping though immature student, and Fanshawe, a reclusive, meek intellectual. While out walking, the three young people meet a nameless character called “the angler,” a name he gets for appearing an expert fisherman. The angler asks for a word with Ellen, tells her something in secret, and apparently flusters her. Walcott and Fanshawe become suspicious of his intentions...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9791221383089
Publisher:	ePembaBooks
Publication date:	12/20/2022
Sold by:	StreetLib SRL
Format:	eBook
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804 - May 19, 1864) was an American novelist, Dark Romantic, and short story writer.
He was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, the only judge involved in the Salem witch trials who never repented of his actions. Nathaniel later added a "w" to make his name "Hawthorne" in order to hide this relation. He entered Bowdoin College in 1821, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in 1824, and graduated in 1825. Hawthorne published his first work, a novel titled Fanshawe, in 1828; he later tried to suppress it, feeling it was not equal to the standard of his later work. He published several short stories in various periodicals, which he collected in 1837 as Twice-Told Tales. The next year, he became engaged to Sophia Peabody. He worked at a Custom House and joined Brook Farm, a transcendentalist community, before marrying Peabody in 1842. The couple moved to The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts, later moving to Salem, the Berkshires, then to The Wayside in Concord. The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. A political appointment took Hawthorne and family to Europe before their return to The Wayside in 1860. Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864, and was survived by his wife and their three children.
Much of Hawthorne's writing centers on New England, many works featuring moral allegories with a 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 friend Franklin Pierce.

Date of Birth:

July 4, 1804

Date of Death:

May 19, 1864

Place of Birth:

Salem, Massachusetts

Place of Death:

Plymouth, New Hampshire

Education:

Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, 1824