Nathaniel Hawthorne' s view of man and human history originates, to a great extent, in Puritanism. What are the effects of Puritanism on Hawthorne?
HAWTHORNE'S VIEW OF MAN AND HUMAN HISTORY ORIGINATES, TO A GREAT EXTENT, IN PURITANISM. HE WAS NOT A PURITAN HIMSELF, BUT HE HAD PURITAN ANCESTORS WHO PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN HIS LIFE AND WORKS. HE BELIEVED THAT "THE WRONG DOING OF ONE GENERATION LIVES INTO THE SUCCESSIVE ONES," AND OFTEN WONDERED IF HE MIGHT HAVE INHERITED SOME OF THEIR GUILT. THIS SENSIBILITY LED TO HIS UNDERSTANDING OF EVIL BEING AT THE VERY CORE OF HUMAN LIFE, WHICH IS TYPICAL OF THE CALVINISTIC BELIEF THAT HUMAN BEINGS ARE BASICALLY DEPRAVED AND CORRUPTED, HENCE, THEY SHOULD OBEY GOD TO ATONE FOR THEIR SINS.