Correlation between Fiction and Reality: Hawthorne’s Characterization in The Blithedale Romance
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In writing The Blithedale Romance, Hawthorne decided to draw upon the experiences in his life, especially at Brook Farm, and aggressively confronted for the first time in his fiction the abundant, lively subject matters. As a result, the novel heavily takes in the raw materials of the community. Even though the book, immediately after its publication, was received with little enthusiasm by contemporary critics, readers were irresistibly impelled to fix the real names of real persons to its characters in spite of Hawthorne's clear disclaimer in the Preface. Most of the Blithedalers are nameless background figures. In the foreground are lined up the principal characters of the romance: Miles Coverdale, the protagonist and narrator, Hollingsworth, an iron-willed phillanthropist, Zenobia, a prominent advocate of feminism, and Priscilla, an incarnation of femininity. The characterization of Miles Coverdale is often associated with Hawthorne himself. Hollingsworth, who dreams of a reformative process for criminals, reminds us of Herman Melville. Far from being a stereotype, Zenobia who resists containment by type or by language was modeled on Margaret Fuller. Priscilla who is finally identified as the very person of the Veiled Lady was portrayed after a small seamstress from Boston at Brook Farm. Although Coverdale plays the central role in the novel, the interest of the book centers around three characters, Hollingsworth, Zenobia, and Priscilla. In this triangle, particularly Zenobia and Hollingsworth impliedly aspire to positions of power and leadership within the community. Yet the relationship between Zenobia and Coverdale is more skillfully treated in its attraction and repulsion, The real story turns upon the passion of Zenobia for Hollingsworth, his preference for Priscilla, and the suicide of the proud, queenly Zenobia. It is largely owing to his realistic characterization modeled on real-life figures that Hawthorne could create another successful work followed by The Scarlet Letter in his romance quartet of America.
Abstract
In writing The Blithedale Romance, Hawthorne decided to draw upon the experiences in his life, especially at Brook Farm, and aggressively confronted for the first time in his fiction the abundant, lively subject matters. As a result, the novel heavily takes in the raw materials of the community. Even though the book, immediately after its publication, was received with little enthusiasm by contemporary critics, readers were irresistibly impelled to fix the real names of real persons to its characters in spite of Hawthorne's clear disclaimer in the Preface. Most of the Blithedalers are nameless background figures. In the foreground are lined up the principal characters of the romance: Miles Coverdale, the protagonist and narrator, Hollingsworth, an iron-willed phillanthropist, Zenobia, a prominent advocate of feminism, and Priscilla, an incarnation of femininity. The characterization of Miles Coverdale is often associated with Hawthorne himself. Hollingsworth, who dreams of a reformative process for criminals, reminds us of Herman Melville. Far from being a stereotype, Zenobia who resists containment by type or by language was modeled on Margaret Fuller. Priscilla who is finally identified as the very person of the Veiled Lady was portrayed after a small seamstress from Boston at Brook Farm. Although Coverdale plays the central role in the novel, the interest of the book centers around three characters, Hollingsworth, Zenobia, and Priscilla. In this triangle, particularly Zenobia and Hollingsworth impliedly aspire to positions of power and leadership within the community. Yet the relationship between Zenobia and Coverdale is more skillfully treated in its attraction and repulsion, The real story turns upon the passion of Zenobia for Hollingsworth, his preference for Priscilla, and the suicide of the proud, queenly Zenobia. It is largely owing to his realistic characterization modeled on real-life figures that Hawthorne could create another successful work followed by The Scarlet Letter in his romance quartet of America.
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