So, first of all, I did not picture Nathaniel Hawthorne to look like this. I know that's pretty random, but it was one of my first thoughts when I saw his picture. Nathaniel was born in Salem Massechusets on July 4, 1804. That's actually really ironic; he became a great American writer and was born on the 4th of July (haha). Nathaniel Hawthorne’s great-grandfather was a magistrate during the Salem witch trials; he played a big part in denouncing the guilt of many victims. The fact he was connected indirectly to the Salem witch trial probably has a great deal to do with the fact that the event plays a part in his writings. So speaking of writings. . . we move on to The House of the Seven Gables (Da Da Duuum!). But, a quick interesting fact first. Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick and a good friend of Hawthorne's, dedicated his novel to him.
The House of the Seven Gables (the actual house, not the book) is located on Turner St. in Salem, Mass. The history given about the house in The House of The Seven Gables has some truth in it; substitute Turner for Pyncheon and change a few facts around. It was actually built by John Turner in 1668 and sold to Captain Samuel Ingersoll in 1782. When he died at sea, he left the house Susanna who *connection!* is Nathaniel Hawthorne's cousin. For those who do not know (I didn't either, at first), a gable is one of those pointy triangle things on a house. Another fun fact: The House of the Seven Gables is New England's oldest mansion.Ahh, the Puritans. You are born on a Sunday and the next thing you know, you are a social outcast because you have been shamed and are considered a "child of the Devil". The Puritans have a belief system that is not much different than other religions (well, a few differences). . .they just take it to the extreme. In their belief only the chosen will be saved by God's sovereignty; its not enough just to believe in God. They also believe that all sins be punished (most likely severely. . .). So to wrap it up, 17th century Puritans were a little cuckoo, the House of the Seven Gables is a REAL house and Nathaniel Hawthorne who was indirectly connected somehow to his stories. And. . . another fun fact: Benjamin Franklin was born on a Sunday, so to Puritans he was considered a sinner.
Ah, the joys of interconnectivity (if that's a word?) in history, eh? It's interesting how believing in God alone isn't enough, yet this is what they preached against when fighting the Roman Catholic church. It seems that the House of Seven Gables will have more of an intimate meaning now that we know Nathaniel Hawthorne is in someway interconnected with this. A question to consider: Do you think Nathaniel Hawthorne's writing would have been different should he have not lived in Puritan Salem?
ReplyDeleteWow, I didn't know babies born on a Sunday were considered devil babies. That's just downright stupid. But, cool facts :]
ReplyDeleteThe part that interests me the most is the part about babies born on a Sunday being sinners. What happens if a Puritan baby was born on a Sunday? Is it exiled?
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