The House of the Seven Gables

The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a Gothic novel set in a gloomy, decaying mansion in New England. It tells the story of the Pyncheon family, whose history is marked by greed, guilt, and a generations-old curse.

The plot centers on Hepzibah Pyncheon, an elderly woman living in the ancestral house with her brother Clifford, recently released from prison after being falsely accused of murder. Their lives are disrupted by the arrival of Phoebe, a young, cheerful cousin, and Holgrave, a mysterious lodger with radical ideas.

As family secrets unravel and old wrongs are revealed, the Pyncheons are given a chance at redemption. The novel explores themes of ancestral guilt, retribution, and the possibility of renewal, ultimately ending on a hopeful note.

Published in 1851, the novel blends psychological insight with historical commentary and moral reflection.