Hawthorne's Psychology of the Head and Heart

Abstract

Critics have advanced various interpretations of Hawthorne's attitude toward the problems of sin and the Fall of Man. Opinions have varied widely, from Randall Stewart's statement that Hawthorne believed in the educative value of sin and in the idea of the Fortunate Fall,1 to Austin Warren's opposite opinion that for Hawthorne sin is “not educative but warping”, that Hawthorne speculates on the problem of the Fall but refuses to believe it fortunate.2 Certainly both men are right in believing that the problems of the Fall and of sin are important concerns to Hawthorne, but it is my belief that Stewart stops short of the central theme in terms of which Hawthorne's works take on added meaning.3 And Warren, in stating, for example, that Hawthorne is speaking for himself in Kenyon and Hilda in The Marble Faun,4 leaves unresolved the conflict between the ways of life of the two couples. In the light of his interpretation, the romance falls apart at the end, the theme which Hawthorne seems to have been developing suddenly denied in the closing passages. It is my contention that these and other difficulties can be obviated if we examine Hawthorne's characters in terms of what F. O. Matthiessen calls the psychology of the head and heart.5