The major works of Nathaniel Hawthorne include a number of recurring references which appear to be linked with one another. There is mention of electric rings, glavanism, sympathies between people, somnambulism, gold chains and amulets, mesmerism, and much more. Some of the characters Hawthorne created have a strange power or control over others. There are numerous references to mediums and trances. In addition one finds a recurring theme in Hawthorne's major works--man's search for universal order and harmony. A close examination of these related elements shows them to have a common denominator in mesmerism.A review of American culture and thought prevelant during the first half of the nineteenth century reveals a people nearly obsessed with the idea of mesmerism. That obsession is'-reflected in four little-know tales written by one of Hawthorne's contemporaries, Edgar Allan Poe. In these tales--"A Tale of the Ragged Mountains, "Mesmeric Revelation," "Some Words with a Mummy," and "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar"-- Poe's focus is directly on the various aspects and variations of mesmerism. These four tales by Poe provide ample evidence that mesmerism and the various ideas and concepts associated with it were well known to Americans of the mid 1800's. It is reasonable to assume, then, that Nathaniel Hawthorne also had some knowledge of mesmerism. An examination of his works, in fact, clearly supports that assumption. Hawthorne, however, unlike Poe, did not deal directly with the subject of mesmerism. In his writings Hawthorne made practical use of the trappings and tenets of mesmerism. In the artistry of at least four of his works--The Scarlet Letter, The House of the Seven Gables, The Blithedale Rommance, and The Marble Faun--Hawthorne appears to have utilized mesmeric ideas and concepts in a supportive role.In this paper the previously mentioned literary works by Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne will be closely examined. The critical analysis of these works presented here is different from other analyses of the same works by Poe and Hawthorne in that it concentrates on the element of mesmerism. Poe, a popular writer of his day, dealt directly with the subject of mesmerism, and his works provide evidence of the knowledge the American people had of mesmerism by the 1840's. The central focus of the paper will be to prove that Hawthorne, unlike Poe, made use of the various tenets and trappings of mesmerism to delineate character and to develop plot.Though an extremely complex philosophy, in brief, mesmerism deals with the relationship between man and his universe as well as between man and his fellow man. A detailed discussion of the origin and development of mesmerism is presented in chapters two, three and four. As a philosophy, mesmerism is based on the idea presented by Franz Anton Mesmer in his doctoral dissertation: the entire universe is connected by a force consisting of tiny particles or an electrically charged fluid which emanates from the planets. Mesmer named this force gravitas universalis. The ebb and flow of this universal force is what relates all elements in the universe, including man, to one another. When one is in harmony with this universal fluid, peace and health prevail. If one is not in harmony with the forces of the universe, however, physical or mental illness follows.This basic philosophy of mesmerism is in many ways identical to Nathaniel Hawthorne's conception of sin as it relates to the good and virtuous life. Hawthorne believed that to be at peace, man must establish a true and meaningful relationship with some other person. Such a relationship was prevented by sin, and the worst sin was to seek the lack of love in others or to disallow love to enter one's own heart. Sin for Hawthorne, then, indicated that man was out of tune with the forces of the universe. Hawthorne combined his concept of sin with the philosophy of mesmerism to form the basis for a writing device. The analysis of Hawthorne's works reveals elements of mesmerism intricately woven into the fabric of his writing, leaving little doubt that Hawthorne made deliberate use of mesmerism to delineate character and to develop plot.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/174816 |
| Date | January 1977 |
| Creators | Andola, John Anthony |
| Contributors | Newcomb, Robert H. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | [4], 164 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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