Same Time Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon Visits Hepzibah example essay topic

THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES The story begins as Nathaniel Hawthorne lays down the setting and describes the house of the seven-gables and the story of its creation. The house is old and overrun by moss weeds and bushes, but the greatest aspect is the gigantic tree in the front of the house that seems to grow in size as it feeds off the misery of the inhabitants and the decay of the house. The very land that the house was built on was stolen from Matthew Moule. Since Colonel Pyncheon liked the location he helped accuse Matthew Moule of witchcraft and had him hung from the gallows pole.

At his death, Matthew Moule curses Colonel Pyncheon saying, 'God will give him blood to drink!' One hundred and sixty years ago, when Colonel Pyncheon opened the new seven-gabled mansion, the guests found him lying dead in his study with his face covered in blood. Now, 160 years later, the curse still haunts the household as unfortunate circumstances fall upon the Pyncheon. The claim to the vast acres in Maine still remains lost. Clifford Pyncheon was convicted for killing his uncle and is sent to prison for 30 years. The only Pyncheon left living in the house is Hepzibah, who is forced to put aside her pride and open a 1-cent shop on the first floor. The 1-cent shop in itself is a symbol if irony due to the fact that Hepzibah was once rich and now, though she is living in a mansion, she sells penny goods on the bottom floor.

Townspeople come in usually just to see her work and to mock her but a few townspeople come to buy goods. The old house has only a few inhabitants left. There is Hepzibah Pyncheon, who can live there as long as she wants, Mr. Holograve, who is a hypnotist that rents the upstairs apartment, and an old maid, who serves Hepzibah. Then one day a pretty young girl, Phoebe Pyncheon, comes in and brightens the gloomy atmosphere; about the same time Hepzibah's insane brother, Clifford, arrives to live with them. Since Clifford dislikes Hepzibah's ugliness, attitude, rustiness and scowl she soon quits reading and playing the harpsichord for him. Then she sadly resigns the tasks of keeping him happy and leaves them to Phoebe.

At the same time Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon visits Hepzibah and demands to see Clifford about the old deed threatening to send him to the insane asylum for life. She has Jaffrey sit in the parlor as she goes to find Clifford and finding him missing, she goes back and finds Clifford dancing around Jaffry's dead body. Frightened for prosecution they ran to the nearest station and rode to a far away to a deserted railroad stop and they hide many miles from the mansion that they came from. While Clifford and Hepzibah are gone Phoebe finally returns from the county to find the house quiet and locked up. Holograve lets her in and tells her about Jaffrey's death. Phoebe becomes frightened and makes her way to call the police but Holograve begs her for a few moments to talk to her before she calls.

Phoebe agrees and tells her that he is in love with her and Phoebe tells him that she feels the same way for him. At that moment Clifford and Hepzibah return home. Since Judge Jaffery Pyncheon is dead Clifford, Hepzibah, and Phebe inherit all of his wealth and riches. They later find out that Jaffery was responsible for Clifford's 30 year imprisonment. They realize this because all three of the Pyncheon men that had died the same unusual deaths. Due to this fact you can assume that it is a genetic trait.

They then conclude that as a youth Jaffery planted evidence as to appear that Clifford committed a murder. Finally, at the end of the story, Holograve finally tells Phoebe that he is a Maule. He also tells her the house is made of wood instead of stone. Holograve finds a spring that Clifford vaguely remembered. He remembered that it was behind the old portrait, there they found the deed to the vast lands near Maine. They then move into the county to leave the house behind and their memories behind.