Hawthorne, Nathaniel

From Salem Links and Lore

Hawthorne's Life

Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem 1804 and died in 1864. A well-known short-story writer and novelist, he was born in a house at 27 Union St. (This house was later moved to the House of Seven Gables complex.) Hawthorne attended Bowdoin College, graduating in 1825. He married Sophia Peabody of Salem on July 9, 1842. The family lived in Concord at the "Old Manse" and the "Wayside" and in Lenox and Salem until moving abroad in 1853 for Hawthorne's job as political consul. They spent seven years in England, Italy and France. He died on May 19, 1864 in Plymouth, New Hampshire on a trip with his friend, former president Franklin Pierce. He is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord. His wife Sophia and daughter Una, who both died in England and were buried there, were re-interred in June 2006 in plots adjacent to Hawthorne's. Hawthorne's three children were Una (1844-1877), Julian (1846-1934) and Rose (1851-1926).

Hawthorne's Work

Hawthorne is best known today for his many short stories (he called them "tales") and his four major romances written between 1850 and 1860: The Scarlet Letter (1850), The House of the Seven Gables (1851), The Blithedale Romance (1852) and The Marble Faun (1860) Young Goodman Brown (1835). Many of his works are inspired by Puritan New England, combining historical romance loaded with symbolism and deep psychological themes.

Where he lived

Some of Hawthorne's addresses in Salem were: 27 Union St. (this house was moved later to the House of Seven Gables site), 10 Herbert St., 14 Mall St. (where he wrote the Scarlet Letter.)

In 2018, a brand new sign was installed by the Salem Historical Society marking the sight of Hawthorne’s birthplace on Union Street.

Nathaniel Hawthorne on Film

Some adaptations include: The House of the Seven Gables by Universal Pictures in 1940. Starring George Sanders; Van Grey; Dick Foran, Cecil Kellaway; Vincent Price The House of the Seven Gables by Matinee Theatre, 1956. This one hour version stars John Carradine as Clifford, Helen Wallace as Hepzibah and Marshall Thompson as Johnathan Holgrave. The House of the Seven Gables by the Shirley Temple Storybook Hour, 1960. Stars Shirley Temple as Phoebe Pyncheon. The House of the Seven Gables a Guided Tour with Vincent Price. Produced by M. Stephenson Asst. Producer David Goss, 1990. Puritan Passions, (or Feathertop) Starring Glenn Hunter, Mary Astor, Maude Hill and Osgood Perkins, 1923. The Scarecrow (based on the story Feathertop) starred Gene Wilder; Nina Foch; Blythe Danner and Will Geer, 1972 The Scarecrow. Released in 2000, Warner Bros. Animation Young Goodman Browne, Starring Dorothy Lyman as Sarah Goode. 1993. Shot on location at the Rebecca Nurse homestead in Danvers, and also at Pioneer Village in Salem.

The Hawthorne Hotel was named for this famous author and native son. He had familiar ties to this part of Salem.


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See Also

  • Vertical File in Salem Collection- Hawthorne, Nathaniel
  • Vertical File in Salem Collection - Bold Hathorne
  • Oil portrait of Nathaniel Hawthorne by Charles Osgood, 1840. Owned by Essex Institute, Salem
  • "Hawthorne revisited; author's kin are re-interred" Boston Globe, June 27, 2006, p. B1
  • "Hawthorne's life revisited, 200 years later"Salem News, Jan. 30, 2004, p. A1
  • "Hawthorne day is being observed: the Centennial of birth of N. Hawthorne" Salem Evening News, June 23, 1904, p. 1
  • "He disliked city, but Salem loves its Hawthorne: 200th birthday celebration" Salem News, July 2, 2004, p. A1
  • "Hawthorne's birthplace leaves Union Street" Salem Evening News, May 1, 1958, p. 1
  • "Salem's Union Street home to Hawthorne, future wife" Salem News, July 13, 2011, p. 4
  • "Memories of Merry Mount" (Hawthorne's Maypole of Merry Mount) Essex County Chronicles, Salem News, May 6, 2013, p. 11
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