Ethan Brand
Encyclopedia
"Ethan Brand—A Chapter from an Abortive Romance" (originally, "The Unpardonable Sin") is a short story
written by Nathaniel Hawthorne
in 1850 and first published by Ticknor, Reed, and Fields in 1852 in The Snow-Image, and Other Twice-Told Tales
, the author's final collection of short stories. Hawthorne originally planned a lengthy work about Brand, but completed only this piece, which probably would have served as the longer work's climatic chapter. Hawthorne's inspiration was a lime kiln he saw burning while climbing Mount Greylock
. It has been suggested that Brand was based on Herman Melville
, but the two writers had yet to meet when the story was published. The tale was adapted to a radio program in 1945.
Ethan Brand tells of how he used to keep the very same kiln before he went off in search of the "unpardonable sin", which he then reports to have found. When asked where the unpardonable sin is, Brand places an indicative finger on his own heart. When asked what the unpardonable sin is, Brand replies, “It is a sin that grew within my own breast. A sin that grew nowhere else! The sin of an intellect that triumphed over the sense of brotherhood with man and reverence for God, and sacrificed everything to its own mighty claims! The only sin that deserves a recompense of immortal agony! Freely, were it to do again, would I incur the guilt. Unshrinkingly I accept the retribution!" Bartram hears this but doesn't understand and mutters to himself that Brand is a mad man.
Soon thereafter, a group of townspeople arrive at the scene to gawk at the returned seeker-after-sin. In the course of his interactions with the townspeople, most of whom are of the variety of drunk-old-man-with-smoke-stained-semblance, Ethan Brand is disturbed by their coarse behavior to the point of doubting whether he actually found the unpardonable sin. When the townspeople compare Brand to another so called 'madman' called Humphrey, Brand is prodded to recall an individual victim of his search, one Esther [who happens to be the Humphrey's daughter] who left the province on her own trajectory to become a circus performer and who subsequently became the subject of an unspecified psychological experiment that Ethan Brand performed. Brand remembers that the research, "wasted, absorbed, and perhaps annihilated her soul, in the process," and so he is again full of conviction that he did indeed find the "unpardonable sin."
At this point in the story there is a quick transition and a Wandering Jew
carrying a diorama
on his back joins the scene out in the post-twilight hills near the kiln. The children of the town all flock to the Jew to see his images, and while they apparently find the images somewhat delightful, when Brand looks into the show box, it is unclear what he sees. Having looked, he addresses the so called Jew of Nuremberg in a desultory manner and bids him get 'into yonder furnace.'
Another quick transition and a village dog starts to fanatically chase his own tail. After the dogs despicable show is done, the villagers head home and Ethan Brand is left with Bartram and his son. Brand offers to tend the fire overnight, so Bartram and the boy leave the scene, too.
After recounting and considering his own story for a while, Brand decides that his 'task is done, and well done,' and he climbs to the top of the kiln and falls into self immolation
. When Bartram and his son awake in the morning, after a night of fitful sleep and dreams full of rolling maniacal laughter, they find the landscape populated by beautiful atmospheric phenomena that give them impressions of the coincidence of heaven and earth. When they realize that Ethan Brand is gone, and that "the sky and the mountains all seem glad of it," they look after the lime kiln and find that Ethan Brand's skeleton has turned to lime along with all of the ordinary marble. And inside the rib cage of the skeleton, they see a chunk of lime in the shape of a human heart. Giving the strange scene in the kiln but a moment's notice, Bartram, a rude lime burner, pokes the fragile artifacts with a pole and they crumble to dust.
In the summer of 1838, Hawthorne had visited North Adams, Massachusetts
and climbed Mount Greylock
several times. His experiences here, especially a walk he took at midnight where he saw a burning lime kiln, inspired this story, originally titled "The Unpardonable Sin". Hawthorne had not written tales since 1844 when he wrote "Ethan Brand" in the winter of 1848–1849. He admitted he had difficulty writing it. He wrote:
Hawthorne had planned a lengthy tale about Brand's life and his travels in search of the "Unpardonable Sin" but published only this, most of which would have formed the climactic chapter.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
written by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer.Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in the city of Salem, Massachusetts to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, a judge during the Salem Witch Trials...
in 1850 and first published by Ticknor, Reed, and Fields in 1852 in The Snow-Image, and Other Twice-Told Tales
The Snow-Image, and Other Twice-Told Tales
The Snow-Image, and Other Twice-Told Tales was the final collection of short stories published by Nathaniel Hawthorne in his lifetime, appearing in 1852.-Contents:* Preface * "The Snow-Image" * "The Great Stone Face"...
, the author's final collection of short stories. Hawthorne originally planned a lengthy work about Brand, but completed only this piece, which probably would have served as the longer work's climatic chapter. Hawthorne's inspiration was a lime kiln he saw burning while climbing Mount Greylock
Mount Greylock
Mount Greylock is the highest natural point in Massachusetts at . Its peak is located in the northwest corner of the state in the western part of the town of Adams in Berkshire County. Although geologically part of the Taconic Mountains, Mount Greylock is commonly associated with the abutting...
. It has been suggested that Brand was based on Herman Melville
Herman Melville
Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and poet. He is best known for his novel Moby-Dick and the posthumous novella Billy Budd....
, but the two writers had yet to meet when the story was published. The tale was adapted to a radio program in 1945.
Plot
The story begins with a lime-burner called Bartram and his son hearing a disturbing roar of laughter echo through the twilight in the hills. Soon there-after, the eponymous Ethan Brand arrives at the lime kiln and is questioned by Bartram.Ethan Brand tells of how he used to keep the very same kiln before he went off in search of the "unpardonable sin", which he then reports to have found. When asked where the unpardonable sin is, Brand places an indicative finger on his own heart. When asked what the unpardonable sin is, Brand replies, “It is a sin that grew within my own breast. A sin that grew nowhere else! The sin of an intellect that triumphed over the sense of brotherhood with man and reverence for God, and sacrificed everything to its own mighty claims! The only sin that deserves a recompense of immortal agony! Freely, were it to do again, would I incur the guilt. Unshrinkingly I accept the retribution!" Bartram hears this but doesn't understand and mutters to himself that Brand is a mad man.
At this point in the story there is a quick transition and a Wandering Jew
Wandering Jew
The Wandering Jew is a figure from medieval Christian folklore whose legend began to spread in Europe in the 13th century. The original legend concerns a Jew who taunted Jesus on the way to the Crucifixion and was then cursed to walk the earth until the Second Coming...
carrying a diorama
Diorama
The word diorama can either refer to a nineteenth century mobile theatre device, or, in modern usage, a three-dimensional full-size or miniature model, sometimes enclosed in a glass showcase for a museum...
on his back joins the scene out in the post-twilight hills near the kiln. The children of the town all flock to the Jew to see his images, and while they apparently find the images somewhat delightful, when Brand looks into the show box, it is unclear what he sees. Having looked, he addresses the so called Jew of Nuremberg in a desultory manner and bids him get 'into yonder furnace.'
Another quick transition and a village dog starts to fanatically chase his own tail. After the dogs despicable show is done, the villagers head home and Ethan Brand is left with Bartram and his son. Brand offers to tend the fire overnight, so Bartram and the boy leave the scene, too.
After recounting and considering his own story for a while, Brand decides that his 'task is done, and well done,' and he climbs to the top of the kiln and falls into self immolation
Self Immolation
Self Immolation is a record label and publishing company run by J. G. Thirlwell. Originally an actual label for Thirlwell's self-released early Foetus EPs and albums, Self Immolation became more akin to a vanity label for Thirlwell's releases on Some Bizzare Records and Wax Trax! Records...
. When Bartram and his son awake in the morning, after a night of fitful sleep and dreams full of rolling maniacal laughter, they find the landscape populated by beautiful atmospheric phenomena that give them impressions of the coincidence of heaven and earth. When they realize that Ethan Brand is gone, and that "the sky and the mountains all seem glad of it," they look after the lime kiln and find that Ethan Brand's skeleton has turned to lime along with all of the ordinary marble. And inside the rib cage of the skeleton, they see a chunk of lime in the shape of a human heart. Giving the strange scene in the kiln but a moment's notice, Bartram, a rude lime burner, pokes the fragile artifacts with a pole and they crumble to dust.
Composition and publication history
North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,708 as of the 2010 census, making it the least populous city in the state...
and climbed Mount Greylock
Mount Greylock
Mount Greylock is the highest natural point in Massachusetts at . Its peak is located in the northwest corner of the state in the western part of the town of Adams in Berkshire County. Although geologically part of the Taconic Mountains, Mount Greylock is commonly associated with the abutting...
several times. His experiences here, especially a walk he took at midnight where he saw a burning lime kiln, inspired this story, originally titled "The Unpardonable Sin". Hawthorne had not written tales since 1844 when he wrote "Ethan Brand" in the winter of 1848–1849. He admitted he had difficulty writing it. He wrote:
Hawthorne had planned a lengthy tale about Brand's life and his travels in search of the "Unpardonable Sin" but published only this, most of which would have formed the climactic chapter.