Classic Novels Library

The Blithedale Romance

The Blithedale Romance

by Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864

BookID: 2081

Language:English

Reading Level:Reading ease score: 66.3 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.

Copyright Status:Public domain in the USA.

Autobiographical fictionPsychological fictionFarm life -- FictionMassachusetts -- Fiction

Description

"The Blithedale Romance" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a novel published in 1852. Set in a utopian socialist farming commune modeled on Brook Farm, the story follows Miles Coverdale as he observes the clash between lofty communal ideals and messy human realities. Romantic entanglements develop among residents including the enchanting Zenobia, the frail Priscilla, and the reformer Hollingsworth. As friendships fracture and secrets emerge about mysterious pasts, the community's noble experiment spirals toward tragedy, revealing the limits of idealism when confronted with jealousy, ambition, and unrequited love. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Class:PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature

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