Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) stands as a notable figure in the pantheon of American literature. Born on July 4th in Salem, Massachusetts, Hawthorne was acutely aware of his Puritan ancestry, which profoundly influenced his writing and themes. A graduate of Bowdoin College, Hawthorne's literary career was marked by a fascination with the moral complexities and the darker sides of human nature, o...