entalist beliefs.In the time Hawthorne is writing a movement known astranscendentalism was affecting literature and art. 4Hawthorne is known as a dark transcendentalist because hefocuses strongly on the dark and sinful side of human kind. In The House of the Seven Gables, he focuses on the self-examination of character which is a significant idea intranscendentalism (Encarta Encyclopedia). He believes ahuman cannot reach the insights of transcendentalism by meresensual experience. They must reach a new level ofunderstanding. This is similar to Hepzibah inability tounderstand Clifford reason and state of mind. He has beenalone many years away from daily sin and the darkness of theevil within the house. It also relates to Hepzibah’sinability to understand her emotion until Phoebe comes intothe picture. Phoebe helps her to see the light and that noteverything is dark and gloomy. However, Hepzibah still hasto fight a battle with the side of her that wants to remainhidden and entrapped by the curse of Old Maule.Transcendentalists speak of the “divine and supernaturallight” (gonzaga 1). The House of the Seven Gables ishaunted with the supernatural and it takes a higherunderstanding to break the chains of the curse, Hawthorneplaces the light against the dark with Hepzibah the dark,and Phoebe the light. Hepzibah’s darkness always out powersPhoebe’s happiness without intension. The darknesssignifies the imperfection of man that transcendentalists 5believe in.Hawthorne’s feelings on life alone create the base ofmisfortune whether by curse or desire. His writing is often allegorical and moralistic when dealing with the life of hischaracters. They fight moral issues, many dealing with theloss and possession of money. His characters live a veryisolated life much like his own...
