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... the, the hens now appear gaunt and ugly. The family with the genteel blood is now unattractive and ineffectual like the hens. 16 The hens really like Phoebe and react to her in a similar manner as Hepzibah and Clifford react; they react as if in automatic approval of her regardless of her common strengths. Holgrave tells Phoebe, "The chicken really treats you like an old acquaintance. " 17 He also tells her that the Pyncheon hens are not like common hens.
The hens act as if they are better than other hens, a sort of aristocracy. Phoebe is compared to a ray of sunshine by Hawthorne. In her entering moment, she does not look like she belongs in the shadowy, weed-filled yard, yet Hepzibah cannot turn her away. Phoebe loves the garden, and it is one of the few places at the house where she can be herself. Hawthorne wrote, "The eye of heaven seemed to look down on it. " 18 Phoebe is the perfect character to be in the viewing area of heaven and is very worthy of the garden. Hepzibah is a true picture of "decayed gentility. " 19 Her character is the opposite of Judge Jeffery in many ways.
The judge appears to be a very nice and sincere man, but appearances can deceive. He is a horrible and cruel man, very similar to his ancestor Colonel Pyncheon. Hepzibah is dark on the outside. 20 She is old and "a tall figure, clad in black silk... feeling her way towards the stairs like a near-sighted person. " 21 She has a permanent scowl of wrinkles on her forehead because of her nearsighted condition. Her clothing is all dark shades of grey and black similar to the clothing worn while in mourning. This goes along with her "title" November.
She is in the November stage of her life; she is older and alone in the world. When Hepzibah takes Phoebe to see the harpsichord that looks like a coffin, Hepzibah recognizes that she is a dark and dismal old woman. 22 She is comparative to the straight back chairs in the house. 23 The chairs are very stiff, and uninviting; however, amongst the other chairs there is one that stands out. It is compelling; it is old, plain, roomy, and comfortable looking. These chairs are like her character.
Hepzibah's outward beauty is nearly non-existent, but her true character is seen in the way she treats Phoebe and Clifford. Hepzibah is "very humble at heart, but rigidly conscious of her pedigree. " 24 This is most noticeable when she attributes all of Phoebes common heritage. Phoebes mother was a lower class country-girl, so Phoebe is not a true lady. Despite these feelings she does have love and compassion for Phoebe. She is truly a November soul.
At the time this novel was published the entire United States had become enthralled with the daguerreotype. A daguerreotype is a picture of a person that when turned in a certain direction the negative can be seen. Thus when Hawthorne created the character Holgrave he used the daguerreotype as another name for him. Holgrave is symbolic of the young and prospering America. 25 He is a psychologist and a daguerreotypes. He offers different characters insight on the symbols in the story, including the hens in the garden. One of the most important symbolic things about him is his being a daguerrotypist.
To make a daguerreotype, light and dark must be combined. 26 Making the daguerreotypes is symbolic of his insight to human nature. Like a daguerreotype Holgrave's character contains light and dark; he is the most realistic and complete character in the book, regardless of his slight morbid outlook. His morbid outlook is seen when he makes a daguerreotype of the Judge after he dies. He also wants to show Phoebe to reassure her and himself that the Judge is actually dead. Though Holgrave is a young man with an attitude, he is a very good psychologist.
The House of the Seven Gables is a great novel containing many symbols. Richard Harter Fogle wrote that the book was more aesthetically pleasing and harmonious than Hawthorne's previous work. 27 Each of the symbols work together harmoniously to make a melodious symphony. The house is like a bassoon, deep and dark with a foreboding sound. The elm tree is like the percussion section of an orchestra, because regardless of how badly the rest of the group is doing, it continues its steady pace. Violins and violas make a rich, quality garden, all of the components work together to make chords and harmonies creating the sounds of a garden. The well has the sound of a harp; the light, bubbly sound is like the sound of cascading and swirling water in the well.
Phoebe is a clarinet; she doesnt stick out with a brassy sound, but rather a warm earthy quality of a woodwind like the clarinet. Hepzibah would definately be the most difficult instrument, the French horn. She is like the French horn because she is the most complicated character in this novel. Also like French horn, in hands of a master Hepzibah is one of the most fully-developed characters. Holgrave is similar to a trombone; Holgrave's unique and fresh perspective make him this instrument.
The sliding action of the trombone makes it a truly unique instrument like Holgrave's unique character. The Judge must be a trumpet; this loud and boisterous instrument has the same sound as Jafferys attitude. The ghostly Clifford would be the oboe. The oboes haunting and somewhat clumsy sound is similar to Clifford's character.
Each of these instrument work together to make this romance anything but boring. Hawthorne took more care when he wrote this book and it can be seen in the complexities of the characters and the extreme focus on the other symbols in this book. The House of the Seven Gables is a great classic. The symbols create a rich tapestry that is woven together to make this novel a masterpiece.
Hawthorne's use of symbols has made this tapestry more elaborate and wonderful. The mood of this romance is created through the symbols used. The book is a great model of perfection, and it is a wonderful novel that has not had the attention it deserves. The book makes an intriguing representation of Hawthorne, and is a great classic that will last through the ages. Notes 1 Simon & Schuster, Inc, "Works of Nathaniel Hawthorne: Introduction, " Monarch Notes (1 Jan. 1963, Electric Library < web >) (24 Oct. 1999) 8. 2 Nathaniel Hawthorne, The House of the Seven Gables: A Romance (New York: The Penguin Group, 1990) 11. 3 Roy R. Male, "Evolution and Regeneration: The House of the Seven Gables, " The House of the Seven Gables, ed.
Seymour L. Gross (New York: W. W. Norton & Company Inc. , 1967) 431. 4 Susan S. Williams, "The Aspiring Purpose of an Ambitious Demagogue: Portraiture and The House of the Seven Gables, " Nineteenth-Century Literature (California: Regents of the University of California, 1994. 49 n 2: 221 (24).
Infotrac) (30 Nov. 1999) 7. 5 Hawthorne 151. 6 Hawthorne 150. 7 Hawthorne 30. 8 Hawthorne 73. 9 Simon & Schuster, Inc. 6. 10 Clark Griffeth, "Substance and Shadow: Language and Meaning in The House of the Seven Gables, " The House of the Seven Gables, ed. Seymour L. Gross (New York: W. W. Norton & Company Inc. , 1967) 385. 11 Hawthorne 12. 12 Hawthorne 14. 13 Williams 7. 14 Henry T. Tuckerman, "Seven Gables. " NCLC.
ed. Joann Cerrito (Detroit: Gale, 1993) 39: 168. 15 Frank N. Magill, ed, "The House of the Seven Gables: A Romance. " Masterpieces of World Literature (New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1989) 388. 16 Magill 388. 17 Hawthorne 84. 18 Hawthorne 82. 19 F. O. Matthiessen. "Seven Gables. " NCLC, ed. Joann Cerrito (Detroit: Gale, 1993) 39: 170. 20 Richard Harter Fogle, "Seven Gables. " NCLC, ed.
Joann Cerrito (Detroit: Gale, 1993) 39: 213. 21 Hawthorne 34. 22 Hawthorne 70. 23 Male 433. 24 "Hawthorne Gables. " The Three American Novels, (dogpile. com. Netscape 5. 1. web 5. html) (23 Nov. 1999) 6. 25 Peter Buitenhuis, "Seven Gables. " NCLC, ed. Joann Cerrito (Detroit: Gale, 1993) 39: 248. 26 Michael Jay Bunker, "Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables. " (The Explicator) Noble (1 Jan. 1998.
Electric Library < web >) (12 Oct. 1999) 1. 27 Fogle 211. Works Cited Buitenhuis, Peter. "Seven Gables. " Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism. ed. Joann Cerrito.
Detroit: Gale, 1993. 39: 248. Bunker, Michael Jay. "Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables. " (The Explicator) Noble 1 Jan. 1998. Electric Library < web > (12 Oct. 1999). Fogle, Richard Harter. "Seven Gables. " NCLC.
ed. Joann Cerrito. Detroit: Gale, 1993. Griffeth, Clark. "Substance and Shadow: Language and meaning in The House of the Seven Gables. " The House of the Seven Gables.
ed. Seymour L. Gross. New York: W. W.
Norton & Company Inc. , 1967. 211 - 3. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The House of the Seven Gables: A Romance. New York: The Penguin Group, 1990. "Hawthorne Gables. " The Three American Novels. < web >Netscape 5. 1. < web > (23 Nov. 1999).
Magill, Frank N. , ed. "The House of the Seven Gables: A Romance. " Masterpieces of World Literature. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1989. 388. Male, Roy R. "Evolution and Regeneration: The House of the Seven Gables. " The House of the Seven Gables. ed.
Seymour L. Gross. New York: W. W. Norton & Company Inc. , 1967. 431 - 3.
Matthieson, F. O. "Seven Gables. " NCLC. ed. Joann Cerrito. Detroit: Gale, 1993. 39: 170. Simon & Schuster, Inc. "Works of Nathaniel Hawthorne: Introduction. " Monarch Notes. 1 Jan 1963.
Electric Library < web > 24 Oct. 1999. Tuckerman, Henry T. "Seven Gables. " NCLC. ed. Joann Cerrito. Detroit: Gale, 1993. 39: 168.
Williams, Susan S. "The Aspiring Purpose of an Ambitious Demagogue: Portraiture and The House of the Seven Gables. " NCLC. California: Regents of the University of California, 1994. 49 n 2: 221 (24). Infotrac. 30 Nov. 1999. 7.
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Research essay sample on Symbolism In The House Of Seven Gables
