Return to search

The Function of the Pivot in the Fiction of Nathaniel Hawthorne

In traditional romance, the hero takes a mythical journey into the underworld where he meets and overcomes evil antagonists. Hawthorne has transferred much of that hero's role to a pivotal character whose paradoxical function is to cause the central conflict in the tale or novel while remaining almost entirely passive himself. The movement of the tale or novel depends on the pivot's humanization, that is, his return to and integration within society. Works treated are "Alice Doane's Appeal," "Peter Goldthwaite's Treasure," "Roger Malvin's Burial," "Rappaccini' s Daughter," "Lady Eleanore's Mantle," "The Minister's Black Veil," "The Antique Ring," "The Gentle Boy," Fanshawe, The Scarlet Letter, The House of the Seven Gables, The Blithedale Romance, and The Marble Faun.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc504428
Date05 1900
CreatorsRicco, Paula Traynham
ContributorsKesterson, David B., 1938-, Miller, Lee W., Smith, John T.
PublisherNorth Texas State University
Source SetsUniversity of North Texas
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis or Dissertation
Formativ, 144 leaves, Text
RightsPublic, Ricco, Paula Traynham, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Page generated in 0.0019 seconds