Student Companion to Nathaniel Hawthorne

Unlike the current works of literary criticism available on Nathaniel Hawthorne, which are written for specialists and more sophisticated readers, this critical introduction is designed to meet the needs of high school students and general readers for accessible yet challenging literary criticism. It features a biographical chapter that relates his life to his work, a chapter on his career and contributions to American literature, and chapters that analyze his most important short stories and novels in turn. Examined are his best known and most frequently anthologized tales, and the romances The Scarlet Letter, The House of the Seven Gables, The Blithedale Romance, and The Marble Faun. Each of the novels is discussed in a separate chapter. Of additional value in the volume is a complete bibliography of Hawthorne's work, selected bibliography of critical and biographical sources, and lists of reviews of each novel and the stories, both from the time the literature was originally published and from contemporary sources.The biographical chapter provides an overview of Hawthorne's life, including his years in Salem and Concord, Massachusetts. The chapter on his career traces Hawthorne's development as a writer, his contributions to the genre of the short story and the romance, and his influence on contemporaries and later writers. In examining the fiction itself, the chapters that follow feature close readings of texts that include analysis of setting, plot development, character development, and themes. The discussion of each novel features an alternate critical reading that introduces the reader to various critical approaches to fiction and highlights the richness in Hawthorne's work.

?A superb source of accessible literary criticism.... The exceptional organization, wonderfully clear and lively writing, and excellent documentation make this book a must purchase for most libraries.?-School Library Journal, ?Pennell performs her task so well here that the text expands the series' projected audience. For advanced undergraduates and early graduate students who wish to acquire a foundation regarding Hawthorne, this book will be an excellent beginning. Those new to teaching Hawthorne will also find this book to be especially useful, as will the general reader who wishes to contextualize Hawthorne's works. Greenwood Press has produced a handsome hardbound book with an expensive illustrated cover. Their wisest choice was in Pennell, who brings her Hawthorne expertise to this project and provides generalist readers with an excellent overview of Hawthorne's life, career, and resonance in U.S. writing.?-The Nathaniel Hawthorne Review, ?Pennell's guide provides welcome insight into one of our most beloved and studied nineteenth-century American authors and his most popular works.?-VOYA, ?Students reading Hawthorne's novels and tales will gain insights into his life and work from this informative volume.... The information in this volume should prod students to their own interpretations, enrich their understanding, and enliven their classroom discussion.... Recommended.?-The Book Report, "A superb source of accessible literary criticism.... The exceptional organization, wonderfully clear and lively writing, and excellent documentation make this book a must purchase for most libraries."-School Library Journal

MELISSA MCFARLAND PENNELL is Professor of English at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where she coordinates its American Studies program./e She specializes in the American novel prior to 1900 and has published numerous books and articles on American literature.