The Ancestral Footstep (fragment) by Nathaniel Hawthorne
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"The Ancestral Footstep" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is an unfinished romance written in the late 19th century. The narrative revolves around Middleton, an American descendant of an ancient English family, who embarks on a quest to uncover family secrets linked to a blood-stained footprint left at his ancestral home. As he travels through England, the themes of identity, ancestry, and the haunting echoes of the past are interwoven with his encounters, particularly with
an enigmatic old man and a mysterious young lady, Alice. At the start of the story, Middleton reflects on his travels through the idyllic English countryside, filled with hope and excitement in his search for his ancestral home, while simultaneously contemplating the odds against him. His journey introduces him to various characters, including an intriguing old man with whom he shares a connection, and a young woman whose presence fascinates him. As Middleton navigates these relationships, he becomes increasingly aware of the weight of history that surrounds him, including the dark legacies of a family divided by conflict and betrayal. The opening establishes a richly atmospheric setting that foreshadows the revelations and conflicts that Middleton faces as he delves deeper into the mysteries of his lineage. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864 |
|---|---|
| Title |
The Ancestral Footstep (fragment) Outlines of an English Romance |
| Credits | Produced by Eric Eldred, Thomas Berger, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 58.8 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | American literature |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 8429 |
| Release Date | Jul 1, 2005 |
| Last Update | Sep 24, 2014 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 347 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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