by Nathaniel Nathaniel Hawthorne
First published 2018
Nathaniel Hawthorne draws from the actual history of Mount Wollaston's early settlement to create this allegorical tale. The story emerges from documented events recorded by New England historians, but Hawthorne shapes these historical facts into symbolic narrative. The colonial settlement becomes the backdrop for exploring the clash between Puritan severity and pagan celebration. Masques and festive customs authentic to the period fill the story, grounded in historical sources like Strutt's Book of English Sports and Pastimes. Hawthorne calls this work a "philosophic romance," indicating his intent to blend historical reality with deeper meaning. The narrative transforms grave historical records into allegory, where the opposing forces of religious restraint and joyous freedom play out through the fate of the Merry Mount colonists.
Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: clash-of-cultures, historical-allegory
Setting: Mount Wollaston, New England
Period: Colonial Era
29 pages · Paperback · Independently published