Literature · Politics · 1804–1864
Born: 4 July 1804 · Died: 19 May 1864 · Age at death: 59
Nathaniel Hawthorne died aged 59. He was born on 4 July 1804 and died on 19 May 1864.
American novelist of The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables, who explored sin and guilt in Puritan New England
Did you know?He changed the spelling of his name to distance himself from an ancestor who was a judge during the Salem witch trials.
Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote dark tales of guilt and sin in Puritan New England. He was born in Salem, where an ancestor had been a judge at the witch trials. He added a "w" to his name, perhaps to distance himself. The Scarlet Letter follows Hester Prynne, forced to wear a red letter A. It became an American classic. He was friends with Herman Melville. He worked at the Salem Custom House.
Nathaniel Hawthorne (né Hathorne; July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion.
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Profile
American novelist, 1804–1864
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts, on 4 July 1804.
He studied at Bowdoin College.
The Scarlet Letter appeared in 1850.
The House of the Seven Gables followed in 1851.
Career highlights
Did you know?Melville dedicated Moby-Dick to him.
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