House of the Seven Gables that tells the story of the Pyncheon family. In order to explain some of the misfortunes the family undergoes as the present unfolds, the narrator takes us back to late 1600's, where a mysterious curse is conjured on the Pyncheons. The main reason for it was directly begotten by the building of the house of the seven gables, where generations of Pyncheons would perish. Matthew Maule, the original owner of the lot where the house was built, was stripped of his property by Colonel Pyncheon, a strict and greedy character, who was obsessed with building a house at the up-and-coming area. When Maule was hanged, he allegedly cursed the Pyncheons from the scaffold for having disgraced him and his family. At the house inauguration party, Colonel Pyncheon was found dead in his study, with his beard covered in blood. Although this was the first Pyncheon to die within the house of the seven gables, he would not be the last
Hepzibah is the surviving member of the Pyncheon family as the narrator closes in on the present. By this time, the Pyncheons are not the affluent household name they once were, in fact, Hepzibah is forced to open a store in the lowelevel of the house in order to keep from starvation. She is often visited by her young cousin, Phoebe, who eventually begins living at the house. Other Pyncheons begin to show up at the house as well, Clifford Pyncheon, Hepzibah's brother, who had been in prison, and Judge Pyncheon, who offers Hepzibah financial support. The funniest thing is that Holgrave, the house's only lodger, seems to know more about the Pyncheons than themselves. He tells Phoebe about how 100 years earlier, Alice Pyncheon was hypnotized by Matthew Maule, a carpenter and descendant of the original Matthew Maule, as part of a deal between her father and the carpenter. The purpose of this was to find Colonel's Pyncheon missing deed in exchange for the house and land. The awakened spirit of Maule prevent Colonel Pyncheon from revealing the secret, leaving Alice in a mortal trance.
The House of the Seven Gables not only gathers but keeps the Pyncheon family history alive. Through time, we see the family prosper and fall on its luck, but ultimately the house, as a symbol of unbreakable family ties, lives on.
Diana Sanchez
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I agree with Sanchez, "The house was a symbol of unbreakable family ties". The house stood curses and deaths. It housed poor Hepzibah Pyncheon, Clifford Pyncheon and the amazing Phoebe Pyncheon and Holgrave, the artist. Each character was rich and complex. The novel was easy to read and follow. I sometimes found humor in it. Throughout the novel N. Hawthorne show-cased his ability of writing whether it was in his description of food, a room in the house or the infamous garden I sensed a different type of writing coming from the artist. The plot of the story was amazing, Hawthorne gets me guessing whether Hepzibah Pyncheon and Clifford Pyncheon were ghosts or not. The relationship between Hepzibah and Holgrave, the artist was a little unclear to me as in what made Hepzibah invite him to live in the house. Over all the story was amazing but what I found the best was the narrator's description of poor Hepzibah, at one point I fell bad for her and I asked why would an author bather to create such a hated character as one, if not, the main character of his novel.
ReplyDeleteVanessa Martinez
I thought this book was pretty good. Similar to Weiland, I thought that there were a lot of transformations. For instance, prior to Clifford’s coming, Hepzibah was a lonely old lady with nothing and no one to live for. (The reader never learns how she has existed up to this point; who gave her money to live on?) But then when Clifford comes, she realizes she has to support him and decides to open the little store. However, we also aren’t told where she got the money to open the store, to buy the things the store would sell, or even who advised her how to go about opening the store in the first place. She had no knowledge of business ventures. Maybe that is not important; but what IS important is that she kind of finds a new lease on life when her brother comes to live with her. She discovers a reason to live: to take care of Clifford.
ReplyDeleteWhen Phoebe comes to stay with them, another transformation occurs. She infuses much-needed light (because she is young and happy) into their dreary lives. But then Phoebe gets transformed, in a negative way, because she says she is drained by taking care of Hepzibah and Clifford. Later on the in the book, after the death of the Judge, Clifford is transformed into a totally different person. He is happy and talkative and takes control of the situation by convincing Hepzibah that they should just take up and run away from the house…something entirely out of character for him. Hepzibah, totally freaked out by the situation, bends to Clifford’s will, yet another transformation because up until that point, she had been in charge of Clifford.
I agree with Diana that the house is a much a character in the novel as anyone else. But I couldn’t figure out who the narrator was supposed to be.
Mindy Pigue
Diana Sanchez brings an interesting and good point, The house of the seven gables stands for the off again and on again occurance of famly ties. Because of one unholy person Colonel Pyncheon who argued that Mathew Maule was involved with witchcraft. Not because he really was but because he build an amazing house which Pyncheon wanted and did anything to get. Maule was sentenced to death but before he was hung he put a curse on Colonel Pynceon that lived on to the other Pynceon family members. This was an amzaing novel to read and simple to understand. There was enough suspense to keep you involved. The Pynceon family prosperes then falls back down again. This novel takes you through the hardships or in other words the curse itself.
ReplyDelete"The House of the Seven Gables" reminds me of "Weiland" in that not only is it such a mysterious novel, but both houses contain evil and the characters can only lead a normal life if they leave. At one point Cifford and Hepzibah try to leave to go to church, but as Clifford says, they are tied down to the house, which in turn keeps them tied to the curse.
ReplyDeleteHawthorne uses much obvious symbolism and emphasizes facts that makes us wonder about beginning with the portrait of Colonel Pyncheon which cannot be removed. Even the chickens that were once big and also shrinking, emphasizing how everything is falling apart in the house, whether it is the characters or the physical house itself. Hawthorne constantly mentions the smile of Judge Pyncheon, signifing there's something wrong with it.
Even though there is so much misfortune and dreariness, there is a refreshing contrast which is uplifting once Phoebe is introduced in the novel. She not only brings hope to the house and garden but helps to put Clifford and Hepzibah in a more cheerful manner. She seems to be an innocent young girl, but at the end, she becomes the strong woman that doesn't listen to Holgrave even though she loves him. She still does what is best of Clifford and she becomes the heroine.
Even though this story is full of misfortune, seven is a lucky number and when Clifford inherits an estate, all the remaining characters prosper as well including Uncle Veneer, as they move to the Judge's country estate.
I agree this novel is as gothic as Wieland. Not only does it have tons of tragedy but it also seems to signify America’s past. The house itself seems to me like a metaphor for America’s past, especially with the themes of unequal social classes (the Maule’s representing the lower class and the Pyncheons representing the upper class) and hints of past slavery ( Jim Crow/Jim Crow Laws). Like the disintegration of higher/aristocratic social classes and the abolition of slavery, the house is practically crumbling. To me this is also symbolic because both the house and America were built by men who are no longer around and when we hold on to the past (especially if it’s a corrupt one) and the world changes around us, it makes me wonder how can we progress?
ReplyDeleteLiterally the house represents a fallen family whose original owner built it on land acquired by immoral means. Like anything obtained dishonestly, the perpetrator and in this case the generations of his family are bound to feel the repercussions sometime.
Hepzibah certainly feels it. It is clear that she doesn’t like the whole business of being a shopkeeper (the scowl and everything); to me she seems almost embarrassed at times that she has to sell things in order to make a living having come from an upper class background. Phoebe on the other hand makes it clear that she is not entirely a Pyncheon and maybe that explains her difference. She also doesn’t seem hung up on the past like Hepzibah. Phoebe seems more centered in the present.
It is ironic that in the end, the very last successor of the Maules (Holgrave) marries the last successor of the Pyncheons (Phoebe). In effect Holgrave will acquire and inherit the Pyncheon’s estate from Phoebe, therefore kind of reinstating Maule’s claim. What an interesting twist!
-Vedi Ramdhanie
Nathaniel Hawthorne intertwines the real with fantasy. In his novel “House of the Seven Gables”, we are confronted with a deteriorated house belonging to the Pyncheon family. This house is unique and mysterious as it becomes the scene of murder and supernatural spirits. It was first built by the earlier Matthew Maule who is eventually hung for witchcraft. Maule’s hanging for his accused witchcraft reminds me much of the Salem witch trials which also took place in the late 1600’s. Maule’s death reminds me that during the Salem witch trials, over 1000 people were arrested, imprisoned and convicted with no real trial.
ReplyDeleteI believe that this story shows that institutions break people. The house itself is an institution as it was once a source of wealth, only to become the center of poverty and work later on. Prison is another institution that broke Clifford Pyncheon’s former confident and positive personality.
I found the most interesting philosophy in the book came from Holgrave. Holgrave believed that each generation should “tear down the work before it” referring to the house itself. The house was not reliable to the current generation of the Pyncheon family as it was to the first generation. It did not bring them wealth, but instead poverty and death. It became an institution as it confined its inhabitants with negativity.
Rex De Asis
Hawthorne style of writting seems complicated. This is the first book I had to read by him.
ReplyDeleteAs far as characters. I find it interesting how Hawthorne described the physical charactersistics of some of the characters. Two in particular. Hepzibah and Judge Pyncheon. Hepzibah is a nice lady who became poor where she had to open shop in her house. He describes her facial features as scary. She has a permanent scowl on her face due to near sight. She scares her customers. It is easy to be sympathetic to her character. Unlike Judge Pyncheaon. He is described as the man who always has a smile on his face. It projects radience. Though he is a mean and coniving person, he is described as a likable character. Hawthorne writes, "The Judge, beyond all question, was a man of eminent respectability. The church acknowledged it; the state acknowledged it. It was denied by nobody. [...]" (200-201).
If we read the first sentence of Chapter 15, Hawthorne uses Heavily and Drearily. Both opposites. The tone Judge Pyncheaon tone of voice when talking to his cousin is authoritative as well. I think when the Judge acts shocked of Hepzibah's behavior to him, he is just being sarcastic.
Just a quick question. If anyone know, why does Hawthorne characterize this novel as a "Romance" in the preface? I dont see it.
Jen Marchese
Good question Jen
ReplyDeleteThe main difference between a novel and a romance is the way in which they view reality. A novel renders reality closely and in comprehensive detail. On the other hand,a romance feels free to render reality in less volume and detail. Novels usually focus more on characters as romances emphasize more on events. Novels contain more realistic factors than romances, but the characters of romances are less limited by reality.
Because Hawthrone's story is a breed of novel and romance, he warns us not to associate the characters and setting with any real life setting.
Hope this helps
Rex De Asis
There has been a recurring theme on the blog about the importance of familial ties throughout Hawthorne's novel. I believe this generational responsibility or accountability to be the central theme of "The House of the Seven Gables". As Hawthorne states in his preface, "the wrongdoing of one generation lives into the successive ones, and, divesting itself of every temporary advantage, becomes a pure and uncontrollable mischief." It seems Hawthorne is making a broader statement about our collective history and the ancestral burdens we still carry. He wants the novel to serve as a warning against the sins (particularly greed) we might commit, as they will undoubtedly haunt future generations.
ReplyDeleteIn the case of the Pyncheon's, the family is suffering a sentence of early deaths, poverty and misery as a result of Col. Pyncheon's actions two centuries earlier. As was common practice during the Witch Trials, Pyncheon had a hand in accusing Matthew Maule of witchcraft in order to acquire his land and property. Whether one believes the family's misfortune is due to Maule's curse on Pyncheon or on some sort of self-fullfilling prophecy, it is clear that Hawthorne means to show the effects of one generations sins on the next.
It is interesting that Holgrave's radical politics say that each generation should tear down the work of those before it. Holgrave's character seems to act as a voice for Hawthorne's own beliefs. Holgrave is also, in a way, an interpreter of the story with his use of daguerreotypy (as Hawthorne is as the writer).
The novel's heroes are unassuming and humble. Even Clifford (who had been imprisoned for so many years) is cleared of any wrong-doing in the end. They are able to break free from the curse on the family. Perhaps Hawthorne believes their trully good natures were redemption enough for their ancestoral sins.
Reflecting on our collective history as a nation, replete with slavery and religious persecution, Hawthorne seems to say we pass the responsbility of these actions through generations. As in the novel, the moral lies in breaking free of these traditions of greed, coveting, etc. to rise above our past.
- Irma Suarez
thanks dathrilla
ReplyDeleteIts weird because when i think of romance I think of alot of detail and love and all that mushy stuff, but i guess you are right. Usually the detail is focused on the events that are taking place. The only thing this doesnt have is a love romance. Oh wait scratch that. it does. Phoebe ends up marrying Holgrave. :)
"The House of the Seven Gables" is infused liberally with metaphor, figures of speech, allegory, relating especially to the Pyncheon family.
ReplyDeleteThe major metaphor is the House itself, inaugurated near the start of the Pyncheon dynasty in America, and leading down to the present; in numerous instances, the house is continually anthropomorphized and related to anthropomorphically by the narrator (the house serves as a metaphor for this novel, as well). "The aspect of the venerable mansion has always affected me like a human countenance, bearing the traces not merely of outward storm and sunshine, but expressing, also, of the long lapse of mortal life, and accompanying vicissitudes that have passed within" (7). Its mien seems to mirror that of the Pyncheon family: dreary, molding, cantankerous, and holding out, though decrepitly, through the centuries. Alternatively, perhaps -- built by a Maule, cultivated by a Maule, haunted by Maule spirits -- it is a foil to the Pyncheon existence, and is waiting around for the degradation and termination of the Pyncheon line, in order to supplant it with a new dynasty.
To respond to Jen's question regarding the Romance in this novel, Hawthorne's Preface to this novel discusses the meaning of "romance." He writes, "The point of view in which this tale comes under the Romantic definition lies in the attempt to connect a by-gone time with the very present that is flitting away from us. It is a legend prolonging itself [...] and bringing along with it some of its legendary mist" (4, Enriched Classics edition, ed. C.B. Johnson, Pocket Books 2007).
I read that, but couldnt figure out how that connected to romance. If dathrilla's explaination is correct, I get it.
ReplyDeleteThanks :)