Summary
The House of the Seven Gables, published in 1851, is one of Nathaniel Hawthorne's most celebrated works. This Gothic novel explores themes of guilt, retribution, and atonement against the backdrop of a gloomy New England mansion. Inspired by a real house in Salem, Massachusetts, Hawthorne weaves together history, supernatural elements, and social commentary in an atmospheric tale.
Set in the mid-19th century, the novel follows the Pyncheon family and their ancestral home, which is believed to be haunted by a centuries-old curse. Hawthorne's vivid prose brings to life the decaying grandeur of the seven-gabled house and the complex web of family secrets and generational sins. The arrival of a young country cousin breathes new life into the stagnant household, setting in motion a series of events that will ultimately break the curse. Marked by its richly descriptive language and nuanced exploration of human nature, the novel remains a classic of American literature.
Plot
The House of the Seven Gables is set in a gloomy New England mansion haunted by a centuries-old curse. The current resident, Hepzibah Pyncheon, opens a shop in the house to support herself and her brother Clifford, who has just been released after serving 30 years in prison for murder. Their young cousin Phoebe arrives to stay with them, bringing new life to the dreary household and befriending a mysterious lodger named Holgrave.
The house was built by Colonel Pyncheon on land seized from Matthew Maule, who was executed for witchcraft and cursed the Pyncheon family. Years later, Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon, a cruel man who resembles the Colonel, comes to the house seeking information about valuable family land. After threatening Clifford, he abruptly dies while sitting in the Colonel's chair. Hepzibah and Clifford flee in panic.
When Phoebe returns from a trip, she finds Holgrave has discovered the Judge's body. The town begins to gossip about Hepzibah and Clifford's disappearance. Eventually they return, and new evidence proves Clifford was framed for murder by Jaffrey years ago. Holgrave reveals he is a descendant of Maule but bears no ill will toward the Pyncheons.
The characters find a deed to the valuable land hidden in the house, but it is now worthless. Free from the burdens of the past, Hepzibah, Clifford, Phoebe, and Holgrave leave the cursed mansion to start a new life together in the countryside.
Themes
Effects of ancestral sin and guilt
Decay of aristocratic families
Conflict between past and present
Power of love to overcome the past
Social class and status
Isolation and its psychological effects
Appearance versus reality
Setting
The House of the Seven Gables is set primarily in mid-19th century New England, specifically in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. The novel's time frame spans multiple generations, with flashbacks to events in the late 17th century when the house was first built. This allows Hawthorne to explore the long-reaching consequences of past actions on the present.
The titular house serves as the novel’s focal point and driving force. Described as a “rusty wooden house, with seven acutely peaked gables,” it stands on Pyncheon Street, a fictional byway in Salem. The house's gloomy atmosphere and Gothic architecture reflect the dark history of the Pyncheon family and the curse that haunts them, creating a palpable sense of decay and oppression.
Beyond the house itself, Hawthorne paints a vivid picture of 19th-century Salem, a town steeped in Puritan history and still grappling with the legacy of the infamous witch trials. The author's intimate knowledge of Salem's streets, buildings, and social dynamics adds authenticity to the setting, grounding the novel's supernatural elements in a tangible, recognizable world.
Characters
Hepzibah Pyncheon: An elderly spinster who opens a cent-shop in the family's decaying mansion to support herself and her brother. Though impoverished, she clings to her family's faded aristocratic legacy. Hepzibah is initially stern and reclusive but gradually softens as the story progresses. Her nearsightedness causes her to squint, giving her a forbidding appearance that belies her gentle nature.
Clifford Pyncheon: Hepzibah's elderly brother who returns home after serving 30 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. He is sensitive and childlike after his long imprisonment, struggling to adjust to freedom and the changes in the world. Clifford finds joy in beauty and simple pleasures but is haunted by his past. His relationship with Phoebe helps restore some of his vitality and connection to life.
Phoebe Pyncheon: A young, cheerful country cousin who comes to stay at the House of Seven Gables. Her youthful energy and optimism breathe new life into the gloomy mansion and its inhabitants. Phoebe successfully runs the cent-shop and forms a close bond with Clifford. She falls in love with the lodger Holgrave despite their different backgrounds.
Holgrave: A young daguerreotypist who rents a room in the House of Seven Gables. He is revealed to be a descendant of Matthew Maule, continuing the link between the Maule and Pyncheon families. Holgrave has unconventional, reformist views but ultimately embraces a more traditional life through his love for Phoebe. His artistic eye allows him to see beyond surface appearances to hidden truths.
Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon: A wealthy, powerful cousin of Hepzibah and Clifford who outwardly appears respectable but is cruel and greedy. He framed Clifford for murder years ago and continues to threaten him in pursuit of hidden family wealth. The Judge's sudden death in the house mirrors that of his ancestor, fulfilling the family curse.
Matthew Maule: The original owner of the land where the House of Seven Gables was built. He was executed after Colonel Pyncheon falsely accused him of witchcraft to claim his land.
Alice Pyncheon: A beautiful ancestor of the Pyncheon family whose ghost is said to haunt the house. She died after being mesmerized by a Maule descendant in an act of revenge against the Pyncheons.
Uncle Venner: An elderly neighbor who is friendly to the Pyncheons. He offers simple wisdom and represents the community beyond the insular world of the house.
Quick facts
The House of the Seven Gables was inspired by a real house in Salem, Massachusetts, that belonged to Nathaniel Hawthorne's cousin.
Hawthorne wrote the novel while living in Lenox, Massachusetts, from 1850 to 1851.
The House of the Seven Gables was published in 1851, just one year after Hawthorne's most famous work, The Scarlet Letter.
The novel initially received mixed reviews from critics but sold more than 6,700 copies in its first year of publication.
The House of the Seven Gables explores themes of guilt, retribution, and atonement, with suggestions of supernatural elements.
The character of Judge Pyncheon was based in part on Hawthorne's cousin John Pynchon.
Horror writer H.P. Lovecraft called the novel “New England's greatest contribution to weird literature."
Hawthorne's friend and fellow author Herman Melville praised the novel for its deep exploration of “the tragicalness of human thought."
The House of the Seven Gables has been adapted several times for the screen, including a 1940 film featuring Vincent Price as Clifford and a 2022 TV movie.
An opera based on the novel premiered at the Manhattan School of Music in 2000.
About the Author
Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) was one of the most influential American authors of the 19th century. Born in Salem, Massachusetts, Hawthorne came from a family with deep Puritan roots in New England. This heritage would heavily influence his writing, which often explored themes of sin, guilt, and morality in early American society.
Hawthorne began his career writing short stories, many of which were published in his collections Twice-Told Tales and Mosses from an Old Manse. However, he achieved widespread fame with his 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter, a dark psychological exploration of sin and redemption in Puritan New England. This was followed by other notable works like The House of the Seven Gables and The Blithedale Romance.
As a writer, Hawthorne was known for his mastery of allegory and symbolism. His works often contained moral messages and deep psychological complexity, placing him firmly in the Romantic movement of American literature. Hawthorne's writing style was marked by a formal yet evocative prose that brought early American history to life while probing the depths of human nature.
Beyond his literary career, Hawthorne worked for a time as a customs surveyor and later served as United States consul in Liverpool, England. He was friends with other prominent literary figures like Herman Melville and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Hawthorne left behind a body of work that continues to be widely read and studied for its psychological insight and powerful storytelling.
