The Wives of the Dead: (From: "The Snow Image and Other Twice-Told Tales"): Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The Wives of the Dead: (From: "The Snow Image and Other Twice-Told Tales"): author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
The Wives of the Dead: (From: "The Snow Image and Other Twice-Told Tales") is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Hawthorne, Nathaniel (1804–1864).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Wives of the Dead" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a short story written in the early 19th century, which falls within the American Romantic literary movement. The narrative explores the themes of grief and the complexities of human emotion, particularly as they relate to love and loss experienced by two sisters who have recently lost their husbands in tragic circumstances. The story unfolds in a simple parlor where two widowed sisters, Mary and Margaret, grapple with their profound sorrow after receiving news of the deaths of their husbands—one a sailor and the other a landsman. As they mourn together, the stark contrast between their experiences of grief becomes evident; Mary maintains a semblance of hope and piety, while Margaret is consumed by despair. Throughout the night, each sister faces her own emotional struggles, punctuated by a series of critical revelations—the joyful news that Mary’s husband has survived the shipwreck, contrasting with Margaret's lingering sorrow. The tale artfully balances these emotions, ultimately highlighting the bittersweet nature of joy and sadness intertwined in the human experience.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Wives of the Dead: (From: "The Snow Image and Other Twice-Told Tales")
- Author credits: Hawthorne, Nathaniel (1804–1864)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Historical fiction, American
- New England -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
- Short stories
Gutenberg collections
- Category: American Literature
- Category: Short Stories
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.
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