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This is the kind of book you are most likely to find at a library. It contains five of Hawthorne’s most famous and probably best novels. I got it because there were two of them on my booklist that I had not read yet. As the old part of the booklist gets narrowed down, there are fewer opportunities to mark off multiple titles by reading a single volume. In fact, many of the remaining books are just the opposite – a single title turns out to consist of three or more separate books.
That said, here are my thoughts on the five novels in this collection:
Fanshawe
Rating 3.0
According to the notes, Hawthorne paid to have this novel published. He was reportedly ashamed of this, his first published full-length work. His name did not appear on the title page of the original, and he later tried to destroy all copies of it. It is supposed to be difficult to find except in collections such as this one.
I have a hard time trying to understand what he had to be ashamed of. It was probably never a contender for the honor of ‘the great American novel’ even in 1828 when it was first published. But in spite of a somewhat slow opening it is a solid story. There are some gentle twists to the plot that you don’t expect even though you can spot some aspects of the ending coming almost from the beginning. It is not, however, trite, boring, or formulaic. This one was never on my to-read list, but was an enjoyable read nevertheless.
The Scarlet Letter
Rating 3.5
This novel, published in 1850, does, or at least once did, have some claim to be considered ‘the great American novel’. School children have found it required –or at least suggested – reading almost ever since, probably because of the exploration of moral themes in it. When I first read The Scarlet Letter back in high school, I didn’t like it that much because it was such a dark story, despite mostly taking place out in the fresh air and sunshine. On re-reading it, I find I was not scared by it as much as I was the first time, but didn’t like it much better. It has for me the air of almost a psychological horror story, as perhaps it was intended to.
The House of the Seven Gables
Rating 4.5
OK, I have to admit that I didn’t actually read this novel in this edition, due to time constraints (needing to get the book ready to return to the library). I did, however, previously read The House of the Seven Gables in a stand-alone edition, and it remains my favorite Hawthorne novel.
The Blithedale Romance
Rating 3.0
This book, published in 1852 is based loosely on Hawthorne’s earlier participation in the Brook Farm commune. The narrator, a Miles Coverdale, tells the story of his relationship (or non-relationship more like) with three of the fellow members of the Blithedale commune. One of these, a ‘philanthropist’ nurses Coverdale through an early illness, but loses interest in him when he fails to subscribe completely to the philanthropist’s pet project of starting an institution of some sort for the rehabilitation of criminals. The other two, young ladies, turn out to be sisters, but Coverdale has to do some detective work back in town to discover this. The older woman, Zenobia, is thought to be wealthy, and does subscribe to the philanthropist’s project, apparently having pledged financial support. Her younger half-sister, Priscilla, who came to the colony little more than a child in the guise of an orphan, has no money but loved the philanthropist from the start as he was the one deputed to bring her to the colony.
There is a side plot involving a showman who exhibits a creature known as the ‘Veiled Lady’ which he uses in a fortune-telling racket, which I didn’t completely understand. The philanthropist reveals the ‘Veiled Lady’ to be Priscilla on the occasion when he and Coverdale see her in a small town in rural Massachusetts, but except that Coverdale regards the showman as a sinister character, not much more about this is explained.
This novel, while certainly not standard or very predictable even now, didn’t have much punch. The ending didn’t turn out particularly well for anybody, and there was a lot that was never really explained.
The Marble Faun
Rating 3.2
This book, published in 1860, has great descriptions of the art and environment of Rome and the surrounding Italian countryside. Three artists, an American lady painter, an American sculptor, and another young lady painter, whose origins are not clear, start out comparing their friend, who turns out to be an Italian count to the famous statue of a faun by Praxiteles. In particular, they deem him to be of a sunny disposition, but not too bright.
A mysterious man is stalking the second young lady painter. Ultimately the “faun”, who is in love with her, catches the stalker and drops him off the Tarpeian Rock with her acquiescence. This act galvanizes both of them with horror and ultimately comes between them even though they don’t at first come under any suspicion from the authorities. The American lady painter, unbeknownst to them, witnesses the deed, and it also causes a rift between her and the other two. All three of them are consumed with guilt and suffer separately for a time.
It is left to the sculptor, who to begin with has no idea what has happened to unravel all the mysteries surrounding the sudden change in all their relations. The main themes appear to be how the experience of suffering allows the count to become a wiser and more intelligent being, and the idea that confession is good for the soul.
That said, here are my thoughts on the five novels in this collection:
Fanshawe
Rating 3.0
According to the notes, Hawthorne paid to have this novel published. He was reportedly ashamed of this, his first published full-length work. His name did not appear on the title page of the original, and he later tried to destroy all copies of it. It is supposed to be difficult to find except in collections such as this one.
I have a hard time trying to understand what he had to be ashamed of. It was probably never a contender for the honor of ‘the great American novel’ even in 1828 when it was first published. But in spite of a somewhat slow opening it is a solid story. There are some gentle twists to the plot that you don’t expect even though you can spot some aspects of the ending coming almost from the beginning. It is not, however, trite, boring, or formulaic. This one was never on my to-read list, but was an enjoyable read nevertheless.
The Scarlet Letter
Rating 3.5
This novel, published in 1850, does, or at least once did, have some claim to be considered ‘the great American novel’. School children have found it required –or at least suggested – reading almost ever since, probably because of the exploration of moral themes in it. When I first read The Scarlet Letter back in high school, I didn’t like it that much because it was such a dark story, despite mostly taking place out in the fresh air and sunshine. On re-reading it, I find I was not scared by it as much as I was the first time, but didn’t like it much better. It has for me the air of almost a psychological horror story, as perhaps it was intended to.
The House of the Seven Gables
Rating 4.5
OK, I have to admit that I didn’t actually read this novel in this edition, due to time constraints (needing to get the book ready to return to the library). I did, however, previously read The House of the Seven Gables in a stand-alone edition, and it remains my favorite Hawthorne novel.
The Blithedale Romance
Rating 3.0
This book, published in 1852 is based loosely on Hawthorne’s earlier participation in the Brook Farm commune. The narrator, a Miles Coverdale, tells the story of his relationship (or non-relationship more like) with three of the fellow members of the Blithedale commune. One of these, a ‘philanthropist’ nurses Coverdale through an early illness, but loses interest in him when he fails to subscribe completely to the philanthropist’s pet project of starting an institution of some sort for the rehabilitation of criminals. The other two, young ladies, turn out to be sisters, but Coverdale has to do some detective work back in town to discover this. The older woman, Zenobia, is thought to be wealthy, and does subscribe to the philanthropist’s project, apparently having pledged financial support. Her younger half-sister, Priscilla, who came to the colony little more than a child in the guise of an orphan, has no money but loved the philanthropist from the start as he was the one deputed to bring her to the colony.
There is a side plot involving a showman who exhibits a creature known as the ‘Veiled Lady’ which he uses in a fortune-telling racket, which I didn’t completely understand. The philanthropist reveals the ‘Veiled Lady’ to be Priscilla on the occasion when he and Coverdale see her in a small town in rural Massachusetts, but except that Coverdale regards the showman as a sinister character, not much more about this is explained.
This novel, while certainly not standard or very predictable even now, didn’t have much punch. The ending didn’t turn out particularly well for anybody, and there was a lot that was never really explained.
The Marble Faun
Rating 3.2
This book, published in 1860, has great descriptions of the art and environment of Rome and the surrounding Italian countryside. Three artists, an American lady painter, an American sculptor, and another young lady painter, whose origins are not clear, start out comparing their friend, who turns out to be an Italian count to the famous statue of a faun by Praxiteles. In particular, they deem him to be of a sunny disposition, but not too bright.
A mysterious man is stalking the second young lady painter. Ultimately the “faun”, who is in love with her, catches the stalker and drops him off the Tarpeian Rock with her acquiescence. This act galvanizes both of them with horror and ultimately comes between them even though they don’t at first come under any suspicion from the authorities. The American lady painter, unbeknownst to them, witnesses the deed, and it also causes a rift between her and the other two. All three of them are consumed with guilt and suffer separately for a time.
It is left to the sculptor, who to begin with has no idea what has happened to unravel all the mysteries surrounding the sudden change in all their relations. The main themes appear to be how the experience of suffering allows the count to become a wiser and more intelligent being, and the idea that confession is good for the soul.
