The House of the Seven Gables: With original illustrations – annotated

The House of the Seven Gables”” is a Gothic novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, first published in 1851. The story is set in a grand, decaying mansion in a small New England town and explores themes of guilt, retribution, and atonement. It is considered one of Hawthorne’s finest works, showcasing his mastery of dark romanticism and his deep engagement with the American past. Summary The Pyncheon Family Curse The novel opens with a history of the Pyncheon family and their ancestral home, the titular House of the Seven Gables. The house was built in the late 17th century by Colonel Pyncheon, a stern Puritan who wrongfully accused a man named Matthew Maule of witchcraft to seize his land. Maule cursed Pyncheon, declaring that “”God will give him blood to drink.”” Colonel Pyncheon dies mysteriously on the day the house is completed, with blood on his lips, seemingly fulfilling Maule’s curse. The Present Day In the 19th century, the house is inhabited by Hepzibah Pyncheon, a reclusive and elderly spinster. She lives in poverty, opening a small shop in the front of the house to make ends meet. Hepzibah’s brother, Clifford Pyncheon, has just been released from prison after serving a long sentence for a crime he did not commit, exacerbating the family’s misfortunes. —- ISBN: 9798326976512