The Marble Faun - Hawthorne, Nathaniel

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Résumé :
First Published in 1860, The Marble Faun is the last of the four major romances written by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Published shortly before the beginning of the American Civil War, it is a romantic and fantastical tale set in an imagined Italy and revolves around the love lives of the four main characters: Miriam, a beautiful and mysterious painter; Hilda, an innocent and morally upright copyist; Kenyon, a gifted sculptor; and Donatello, the distinguished Count of Monti Beni. Donatello is in love with Miriam, who is continuously pursued and threatened by a shadowy evil genius who wishes her harm. Miriam's strange and perhaps unseemly past is contrasted to the pure and honorable Hilda, who attracts the attention of Kenyon, a rationale and talented artist smart enough to see past Miriam's beauty to Hilda's good qualities. Like many of Hawthorne's works, central to The Marble Faun are the themes of guilt, the fall of mankind, and man's banishment from the Garden of Eden. Widely praised for its lovely descriptions and fascinating characters, it endures as one of the great writer's most enjoyable and emotional works. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Biographie:
Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804 - 1864) was an American novelist, dark romantic and short story writer. He was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, the only judge involved in the Salem witch trials who never repented of his actions. He entered Bowdoin College in 1821, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in 1824 and graduated in 1825. He published his first work in 1828, the novel Fanshawe; he later tried to suppress it, feeling that it was not equal to the standard of his later work. He published several short stories in periodicals, which he collected in 1837 as Twice-Told Tales. The next year, he became engaged to Sophia Peabody. He worked at the Boston Custom House and joined Brook Farm, a transcendentalist community, before marrying Peabody in 1842. The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. A political appointment as consul took Hawthorne and family to Europe before their return to Concord in 1860. Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864, and was survived by his wife and their three children. Much of Hawthorne's writing centers on New England, many works featuring moral metaphors with an anti-Puritan inspiration. His fiction works are considered part of the Romantic movement and, more specifically, dark romanticism. His themes often center on the inherent evil and sin of humanity and his works often have moral messages and deep psychological complexity. His published works include novels, short stories and a biography of his college friend Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States.