Doctor of Philosophy
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A READING OF NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE’S SELECT NOVELS AND TALES IN NEW HISTORICIST PERSPECTIVE THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN ENGLISH BY RUBINA IQBAL DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY ALIGARH (INDIA) JUNE 2011 Acknowledgements First of all I would like to thank Almighty God without whose blessings, I am nothing. For every beautiful moments of my life, I must not fail to thank Him immensely. I dedicate this reading to my parents, my husband and the joy of my life my children. This thesis is result of the encouragement, help, support, and kindness of many individuals and institutions given to me over a decade. The idea to research on Nathaniel Hawthorne from new historicist perspective was given to me by teacher Dr. Asim Siddiqui. Since the time of deciding the title of the thesis till the final draft, he was very supportive and responsive. I must acknowledge that though I was writing my as thesis as a teacher candidate, I found no difficulty in completion of my work as he was always there as an unassigned guide for me to give me feedback and much needed guidance. I am immensely grateful to my well wisher the Principal Women’s College Prof. Bilqis Naseem Waris who sanctioned my leave for Academic pursuit to give me the time I immensely needed to complete my research venture. I am indeed grateful to all my teachers in the college and my friends for their unwavering love and support. ii My special thanks are due my teacher Dr. Shagufta Imtiaz who willingly helped me in my endeavor by reading my chapters and giving valuable suggestions. I am greatly indebted to her for giving her valuable time to read my chapters and suggest improvements. I must appreciate my friend Dr. Munira T. for her unconditional support and help at every stage of my research. She instilled in me the confidence that I can go ahead for the submission of my thesis by a thorough and painstaking reading of the final draft of my manuscript . My friend and elder sister Shahla Ghauri was always by my side with her unconditional advice and support which I can never forget. My Parents were my constant source of inspiration. They always encouraged me and never let my spirit down through their warmth and unwavering support. They motivated me in every possible way. My siblings Hina, Midhat, Faria were always by my side with their inspiring words. Especially, my younger sister Noushina was of immense help. She willingly assisted in search of my resources on internet and gave me desperately needed moral boost which I needed more than anything else at times. During the last days of the submission of my thesis, she emerged as a redeeming figure for me iii by taking care of all my other responsibilities and gave me uninterrupted hours of study to wind up my thesis. I cannot forget to mention the names of my daughter Sundus and son Ayaan who were deprived of my motherly attention during my work on thesis. Their smiles and embraces always rejuvenated me and revived my spirit after lengthy and exhaustive hours of study. I must especially mention the name of my husband Dr. Abdul Rasheed who was always with me be it my visit to Hyderabad American Centre Library by managing his leave from the hospital or bearing patiently with my busy schedule. I owe a special thanks to him for his being a life partner in the true sense of the word. I am equally thankful to Osmania University Centre for International Programmes formerly known as ASRC- American Studies Research Centre, Hyderabad. The Library staff was very cooperative in providing research material and bibliographical details. I must acknowledge the role of American Centre Library, New Delhi and Maulana Azad Library of AMU in collecting my reference and context materials to form the basis of my reading. I apologize for any omission of scholarly indebtness, all of which, like the other fault of this thesis are quite unintended but wholly mine. Last but not the iv least a word of gratitude for all my well wishers, whom I have mentioned or not but I recognize their contribution directly or indirectly. I will always be indebted to all those who have supported me in my endeavor with their love and inspiring words. v Abstract A Reading of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Select Novels and Tales in New Historicist Perspective New historicist approach to literary works emerged in the 1980s in a vitriolic response to text –centered reading of New Criticism. New Historicists rejected the formalistic approach of the new critical precept that considered text an autonomous unit which should be analyzed without falling prey to what New Critics termed as “intentional fallacy” [that is relating it to the life of the author or his intention behind composition] or the “Historical Fallacy” [relating it to social, political, economic, and religious contexts]. New Historicists focused on a literary work as a product of time, place, and circumstances of its composition rather than as an isolated creation of genius. They examined the social factors, the psychological background of the author, and the influence of various books and theories upon the writer which shaped his consciousness. They combated empty formalism by pulling historical considerations to the center stage of literary analysis against the decontextualized study of New Critics. New Historicist approach exposes in manifold ways, how culture and society affect each other. Like earlier historical approaches, it does not focus on a literary work as reflective of the time in which it has been conceived. It reveals how the work is influenced by the time in which it has been composed. New Historicists believe that literature is one of the mediums to represent society like other narratives are. They do not suggest any single or easily identifiable historical context. They stress on the new self vi questioning historicist who views literary works as fields of contradictory forces, place of dissension, shifting interests, and occasion for the jostling of orthodox and subversive impulses. They also refute the notion of objectivity in critical interpretation and dare to make themselves the subject of study. Hawthorne’s novels and tales have been analyzed and discussed from a range of angles and perspectives. Each of these interpretations represents a possible and valid way of reading his fiction and contributes to the bulk of criticism on Hawthorne. They enrich our understanding of him and his works. But we cannot say about any one of them that it is the one which possesses only possible explanation or definite interpretation of his works. His novels and tales operate on various levels. In the present proposed reading, four romances and some tales of Hawthorne have been selected to be read in the light of new historicist perspective. This study will try to find out resonances between the fictional world of Hawthorne and the socio-political, religious, and economic ideology of the 19th century, by placing his characters and stories back in the context from which they have emerged. It opens a dialectic between the text and the world of facts. Hawthorne has addressed some of the most vital and stirring issues of the 17th and 19th century American society in his fiction. In order to understand his fiction, it is necessary to be familiar with 17th century Puritan history and be conversant with the leading socio -political ideology of the American Renaissance. Hawthorne’s historical method is best displayed in the vivid and diversified panorama of Salem from its founding days to the present time. He is not content to represent scenes for their sake. He vii has sought for fictional representation, moments of drama, episodes of controversy, and conflicting ideologies relevant to his time. The history of his ancestors encompasses the earlier phase of the political and social history of New England. These selected novels and tales come out of their shell and become meaningful only in the context of Hawthorne’s personal as well as national heritage in which they are shaped, containing more than hundred years of American history. Instead of deriving the direct sources of Hawthorne’s fictional world, this reading works through a series of irrefutable connections between Hawthorne’s epistles, diaries, medical journals, women’s manuals, cultural, social, economic, political, and religious history of colonial period as well as the 19th century and his fiction to get the episteme of the past and present time. Together these writings suggested that Hawthorne could not have escaped the debate on female-right movements, transcendentalist’s doctrine of Self Reliance, Compensation, and Circle, shifting modes of social hierarchy with the emergence of democracy in the 19th century, issues related to spirituality and Puritanism, the nexus of freedom and conscience as debated by Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson, and various reformatory movements even if he had desired. It is important to explore the attitude of Hawthorne and people of his time towards mesmerism and animal magnetism, discoveries in the field of science and technology, feminist movements; issues raised by transcendentalism, and various utopian projects in the sudden urge to reform the society to understand their role in governing his fiction. Hawthorne’s friendship with transcendentalists Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Bronson Alcott, George Ripley and his relation to female activists viii Margaret Fuller and Elizabeth Peabody, as well as his participation in the Utopian socialist venture at Brook farm cannot be overlooked. His friendship with Franklin Pierce, a leading democrat of his time and other known democrats like Jonathan Cilley and Horatio Bridge helped in shaping his republican understanding irrespective of his repressive Puritan ancestors.