NathanielHawthorne.pptx

Nathaniel Hawthorne(18041864)I.Introduction to the writer n n1.1.Life experience1.1.Life experienceBorn to a family with a long Puritan tradition in Salem,Massachusetts.Born to a family with a long Puritan tradition in Salem,Massachusetts.n nHis ancestors were notorious for the persecution of the Quakers and for the His ancestors were notorious for the persecution of the Quakers and for the Salem Witchcraft Trial in 1692.Salem Witchcraft Trial in 1692.n na dark shadow on his heart a dark shadow on his heart n nWhen he was 4,his father,a sea captain,died.When he was 4,his father,a sea captain,died.n n He was brought up by his uncle.He was brought up by his uncle.n nHe graduated form Bowdoin College in 1842 in the same class with He graduated form Bowdoin College in 1842 in the same class with Longfellow and Franklin Pierce(the 14Longfellow and Franklin Pierce(the 14 th U.S President)th U.S President).n nAfter graduation,he returned to Salem to live in his motherAfter graduation,he returned to Salem to live in his mother s house and to s house and to pursue his literary career.pursue his literary career.n nHis life experience had great influence on his character,as well as on his His life experience had great influence on his character,as well as on his writing career.writing career.1.2.Point of viewn nBlack vision of human nature:Obsessed by the Calvinistic concept of the original sin,Hawthorne believes human beings are evil-natured and sinful and this sin and evil is ever present in human heart and will pass on from one generation to another.His writings are to show how we are all wronged and wrongers,and avenge one another.1.3.Major Worksn nThe Scarlet Letter n nTwice-Told Tales n nWhich includes“The Ministers Black Veil”n nMosses from an Old Mansen nWhich included“Young Goodman Brown”n nThe Houses of the Seven Gablesn nThe Marble Faun1.4.Themes of Hawthornes writing n n1.Explore the relationship between the past and the presentn n2.Explore the hidden motivations of his characters.n n3.Examine the effect of hidden sin and secret guiltn n4.Moral or immoral,right or wrong is the question Hawthorne always talks about in his works.1.5.Stylen n1.His style was soft,flowing and almost feminine.n n2.Language:smooth,clear,beautiful in sound and meaning n n3.He also frequently uses symbols and settings to reveal the psychology of the characters.II.Appreciation of“Young Goodman Brown”n n2.1.The main idea of the work (reference to p434-435)n n2.2.Understanding of the excerpt 2.3.Analysis of the structuren nAt sunset,Goodman Brown leaves his wife Faith,At sunset,Goodman Brown leaves his wife Faith,spends the night in the forest,and at dawn returns a spends the night in the forest,and at dawn returns a changed man.Within this basic structure,the story changed man.Within this basic structure,the story further divides into four separate scenes,the first and further divides into four separate scenes,the first and last of which,that is,the departure from and the last of which,that is,the departure from and the return to Salem,are balanced.(to be continued)return to Salem,are balanced.(to be continued)n nThe night in the forest falls naturally into two parts:The night in the forest falls naturally into two parts:the temptation by the Devil and the meeting of the the temptation by the Devil and the meeting of the witch.The two scenes,particularly the former,make witch.The two scenes,particularly the former,make full and careful use of the dramatic devices of full and careful use of the dramatic devices of suspense and climatic arrangement.The climax of the suspense and climatic arrangement.The climax of the story comes when Brown calls upon his wife to look story comes when Brown calls upon his wife to look up to heaven,and resist the wicked one,which is cut up to heaven,and resist the wicked one,which is cut off abruptly by anticlimax as the meeting vanishes in off abruptly by anticlimax as the meeting vanishes in a roaring wind,and Brown leaning against the rock a roaring wind,and Brown leaning against the rock finds it chill and damp to his touch.finds it chill and damp to his touch.2.4.Analysis of the themen n Everyone possesses some evil secret.2.5.Analysis of the writing stylen n2.5.1.Ambiguity:n n Whether the events of the night are actual or dreamliken n Whether Brown is lost to the devil or saved by Faith2.5.2.Contrastn Day and nightn Good and Eviln The red of fire and blood and the black of night and forest2.5.3.Symbolismn nday and the town:human convention and societyn nnight and forest:symbols of doubt and wanderingn nred:Sin or Eviln nblack:doubt of the reality of either Evil or Good that tortures Brown2.5.4.Allegoryn nThe story is often read as a conventional allegory in the sense that Young Goodman is everyman,and his journey to the dark forest and his encounter with the devil are symbolic of mans life journey from innocence to knowledge,from good to evil.n nFaith,if taken as an allegorical figure,is the incarnation of Christian belief.III.Comment on the writern n3.1.the great romantic novelist in the nineteenth century n n3.2.the pioneer of psychological analyst in the history of American literature.Appreciation of The Scarlet Lettern n1.Main Character1.Main Charactern n Hester Prynne Hester Prynnen n Roger Chillingworth Roger Chillingworthn n Arthur Dimmesdale Arthur Dimmesdalen n2.Main Idea2.Main Idean n3.Character Analysis3.Character Analysisn n Hester:brave,strong-minded,warm-hearted,Hester:brave,strong-minded,warm-hearted,n n intelligent,sacrificing,decisive intelligent,sacrificing,decisiven n Dimmesdale:timid,selfish,irresponsible,cowardly,Dimmesdale:timid,selfish,irresponsible,cowardly,n n weak-minded weak-mindedn n Chillingworth:cold-blooded,dehumanized Chillingworth:cold-blooded,dehumanized Theme of The Scarlet Letter n nTo escape the bondage of religion either on peopleTo escape the bondage of religion either on people s spirit or on s spirit or on peoplepeople s natural desires natural desiren n4.Abundant use of symbols4.Abundant use of symbolsn nA-adultery A-adultery n n angel angeln n able ablen nPrisonPrisonthe place that deprived people of spiritual freedomthe place that deprived people of spiritual freedomn nForest-the natureForest-the naturen nRose near the prisonRose near the prisonHester and her loveHester and her loven nCapCapsth controlling onesth controlling one s beautys beauty