The Blithedale Romance

The Blithedale Romance was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and first published in 1852. Set on a communal farm called Blithedale, "The Blithedale Romance" is the story of four inhabitants of the commune: Hollingsworth, a misogynist philanthropist obsessed with turning Blithedale into a colony for the reformation of criminals; Zenobia, a passionate feminist; Priscilla, who turns out to be Zenobia's half-sister; and Miles Coverdale, the narrator of the story. The story concerns the freindship of the four at the commune, which starts intensely during the spring and summer but as autumn approaches begins to disintegrate towards a tragic end. A classic of American literature, "The Blithedale Romance" is a compelling narrative set against the backdrop of many important social and political issues of the 19th century.