First Published in 1860, “The Marble Faun” is the last of the four major romances written by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Published shortly before the beginning of the American Civil War, it is a romantic and fantastical tale set in an imagined Italy and revolves around the love lives of the four main characters: Miriam, a beautiful and mysterious painter; Hilda, an innocent and morally upright copyist; Kenyon, a gifted sculptor; and Donatello, the distinguished Count of Monti Beni. Donatello is in love with Miriam, who is continuously pursued and threatened by a shadowy evil genius who wishes her harm. Miriam’s strange and perhaps unseemly past is contrasted to the pure and honorable Hilda, who attracts the attention of Kenyon, a rationale and talented artist smart enough to see past Miriam’s beauty to Hilda’s good qualities. Like many of Hawthorne’s works, central to “The Marble Faun” are the themes of guilt, the fall of mankind, and man’s banishment from the Garden of Eden. Widely praised for its lovely descriptions and fascinating characters, it endures as one of the great writer’s most enjoyable and emotional works. This edition includes a biographical afterword.
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