Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Twice-Told Tales" is a collection of short tales that uses allegory, symbolism, and paranormal aspects to examine the dark side of human nature. The Puritan New England setting of the novels often focuses on the protagonists' moral and psychological issues. In "The Gray Champion," a mysterious character who appears in times of trouble to guide the populace to freedom; "The Minister's Black Veil," a clergyman who dons a veil to represent his secret sin and guilt; "Wakefield," which explores the repercussions of a man's decision to desert his family and go missing for years; and "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment," which tells the tale of a group of elderly people who participate in an experiment. Other tales in the book include "The Great Carbuncle," "The White Old Maid," "The Shaker Bridal," and "The Threefold Destiny." Hawthorne explores the human psyche and sheds light on the complexities of human nature via his excellent use of language and narrative.
American author Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804, to May 19, 1864) wrote both novels and short stories. His works typically touch on history, religion, and morality. His family had a lengthy history in Salem, Massachusetts, where he was born in 1804. Hawthorne enrolled at Bowdoin College in 1821, was chosen for membership in Phi Beta Kappa in 1824, and received his diploma in 1825. Fanshawe, his debut novel, was published in 1828; he later tried to suppress it because he believed it fell short of the caliber of his later works. In magazines, he produced a number of short stories, which he later compiled as Twice-Told Tales in 1837. He proposed to Sophia Peabody the next year. Before getting married to Peabody in 1842, he joined the transcendentalist community of Brook Farm and worked at the Boston Custom House. The pair first settled in Concord, Massachusetts' The Old Manse before relocating to Salem, the Berkshires, and finally The Wayside. Following the release of The Scarlet Letter in 1850, a number of other novels followed. Prior to their 1860 return to Concord, Hawthorne and his family traveled to Europe as part of a political appointment as a consul. He passed away on May 19, 1864.
