FREE ESSAY ON NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

Author Profile: Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne, named after his father, was born on July 4, 1804 in Salem,
Massachusetts. Four years after Hawthorne's birth, his father died. This left his mother
to take care of him and his two siblings. A very important event occurred to him at age
nine when he injured himself severely, leaving him bed ridden. From that day forth,
Hawthorne took an interest in reading and writing which blossomed into a great passion
for literature.
After high school, Hawthorne wanted to stay home and live the simple life. His family was
determined to have him go to college. Regardless of how he felt, Hawthorne attended
Bowdoin College and graduated eighteenth in his class on September 9, 1825. Hawthorne
then returned to his hometown and began to pursue his passion, writing.
In November of 1837, Hawthorne met Sophia Peabody and eventually married her on July 9,
1842, disregarding his family's disapproval. Their love blossomed into a storybook-like
romance. Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne had three children. Their oldest daughter was
Una. Their one and only son was named Julian. The youngest of the three children was
their daughter Rose. Hawthorne's life was dedicated to his family, literature, and
politics. After his mother passed away, Hawthorne emerged himself in his writings. As a
result of his hard work and dedication, the well-known novel The Scarlet Letter was
published in 1850.
Hawthorne spent the most of his life traveling, writing literature, and associating with
powerful political figures. His family then moved to England where he spent the rest of
his days with his family. In May of 1864, Nathaniel Hawthorne passed away peacefully in
his sleep. (Bauer, net).
Bibliography
Bradley, Sculley, Richmond C. Beatty, and E. Hudson Long. "The Social Criticism of a 
Public Man." Nathaniel Hawthorne. Eds. Bruno Leone, Scott Barbour, and Clarice Swisher.
San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. 47-49.
Loring, George B. "Nathaniel Hawthorne." Massachusetts Quarterly Review. 3.8 
(1850): 484-500. Rpt in NCLC v10. Eds. Laurie Harris and Emily Tennyson. 
Detroit: Gale, 1985. 267-74.