BYU Studies Quarterly
Article Title
The Wages of Sin in Hawthorne
Keywords
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Abstract
The loss of innocence as the result of sin is a theme running throughout many of Nathaniel Hawthorne's works. Many of his works look at the consequences of sin in individuals' lives. The most common sins Hawthorne wrote into his stories are intellectual pride and the violation of another's individuality. The author follows these themes through Hawthorne's works showing that the results of sin are suffering, death, further sin, and, occasionally, a partial redemption. As Hawthorne continued to explore these themes in his works, they become increasingly more complex. Hawthorne never conclusively answers his own questions about the wages of sin, but his works illuminate this complex and fundamentally human issue.
Recommended Citation
Clark, Marden J.
(1959)
"The Wages of Sin in Hawthorne,"
BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 1:
Iss.
1, Article 4.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol1/iss1/4