Browne's Folly

Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.9

Word count: 7K words
Chapters: 1

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today."Browne's Folly" by Nathaniel HawthorneAuthor: Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Nov 1, 2005

Editor's review

Browne's Folly is a short work by Hawthorne, circulated as a free eBook through Project Gutenberg. It continues Hawthorne's signature vein of moral allegory, built around the core idea of 'folly,' with his customary symbolism and understated irony. It is not long and is tightly structured, making it a good introductory sample of Hawthorne's short fiction. The text is in nineteenth-century English with relatively long sentences, requiring some patience, though the overall difficulty is manageable. As a public-domain electronic text, it is easy to access and read alongside other works. Readers should not expect strong dramatic conflict; instead, they should attend to the narrator's restrained presentation of characters' motives and consequences, and appreciate the layered moral judgment in Hawthorne's allegory. It is best read in one sitting in a quiet setting, then revisited to review key plot points and metaphors.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literary enthusiasts who want a quick taste of Hawthorne's short fiction style
Students taking American literature courses who need short samples
Readers who enjoy allegorical narrative and moral satire
Self-learners with fragmented time who can handle classical English syntax

Not a good fit for

Entertainment-oriented readers expecting suspense, twists, or strong plot
Beginners needing detailed annotations and historical background explanations
Those who find nineteenth-century English long sentences difficult

Reading tips

Read through for plot first, then notice how the narrator evaluates 'folly.'
Briefly familiarize yourself with Hawthorne's Puritan cultural context beforehand to better understand the moral themes.
Mark key turning points and, after finishing, revisit whether the characters' motives hold up.
If time is limited, read the ending first and then the beginning to appreciate the structural echo.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this work suitable for classroom discussion?

Yes. It is short and thematically focused, allowing discussion around 'folly' and moral judgment, and can be read and discussed within a limited class period.

Is the English original difficult?

It is in nineteenth-century American prose style, with relatively long sentences and elegant diction, but the plot threads are clear. Readers with a basic grounding in English can read it through with a dictionary.

How does it relate to Hawthorne's novels?

This is an independent short work that does not depend on his novels. It can be seen as a small sample for understanding Hawthorne's symbolic technique and tendency toward moral allegory.

Comments

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About the author

Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864 Author

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) was an American novelist known for his engagement with Puritan tradition and moral allegory. He wrote about sin, guilt, confession, and social prejudice in a restrained style with vivid imagery, often using historical settings and legendary tales to reveal the subtleties of human nature. The collection here holds 98 of his works, including the frequently translated novel The Scarlet Letter, the short-story collection Twice-Told Tales, and children's books drawn from myth and legend such as A Wonder Book for Girls & Boys, Tanglewood Tales, The Gorgon's Head, and The Three Golden Apples, showing his dual interest in New England history and classical myth. His writing has had a lasting influence on American literature's treatment of conscience and identity. Publicly available details of his life are limited, so they are not elaborated here.