The House of Seven Gables is a Romantic novel. Romanticism is characterized by an emphasis on feeling and sentiment, often exalting the natural world, rejecting industrialism and classic institutions. Hawthorn's Romantic contemporaries include James Fenimore Cooper (The Last of the Mohicans), Emily Dickinson, and Herman Melville (Moby-Dick), who was also a personal friend of Hawthorne. The House of the Seven Gables is also considered to have a place in the canon of Gothic Literature, characterized by horror and supernatural elements. Hawthorne's contemporaries in the genre include Edgar Allen Poe ("The Tell-tale Heart") and Washington Irving (Rip Van Winkle; The Legend of Sleepy Hollow)....
Join Now to View Premium Content
GradeSaver provides access to 2376 study guide PDFs and quizzes, 11028 literature essays, 2797 sample college application essays, 926 lesson plans, and ad-free surfing in this premium content, “Members Only” section of the site! Membership includes a 10% discount on all editing orders.