Blithedale Romance. Hawthorne.

The Blithedale Romance.
Nathaniel Hawthorne.
New York: Literary Classics of the United States, Inc., 1852/1983.

Blithedale, a Utopian community, is modeled on Brook Farm, the Transcendentalist experiment at West Roxbury, Massachusetts, in which Hawthorne had participated ten years before he wrote the novel. Miles Coverdale, the narrator, is a coldly inquisitive observer; in revealing his knowledge of the other members of the community, he reveals himself. Zenobia, a dark, queenly, intellectual woman, is in love with Hollingsworth, an egotistic reformer who plans to convert Blithedale into an experiment in prison reform.

Priscilla, a pale, innocent girl, fallen under the evil influence of the mesmerist Westervelt, has performed as the Veiled Lady of Zenobia's story. She is the stereotype of the pretty, clingy thing, who is subservient to men, as Zenobia is a strong woman. Zenobia loves Hollingsworth, but Hollingsworth loves Priscilla because he cannot brook the intellectual strength of Zenobia and wallows in the unquestioning adoration of Priscilla.

Taking refuge at Blithedale, Priscilla is revealed to be the half-sister of Zenobia. When Hollingsworth admits his love for Priscilla, Zenobia drowns herself. Hollingsworth, shocked by the experience, abandons his schemes and becomes dependent on Priscilla for strength.

Coverdale, in the final chapter, admits that he, too, had always loved Priscilla.

In showing how men fall for the pretty, clingy females like Priscilla, and are afraid of the strong, intellectual females like Zenobia, Hawthorne reveals himself to be a feminist long before feminism became popular.