The Hall of Fantasy (From "Mosses from an Old Manse")   By: Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864)

The Hall of Fantasy, a collection of short stories from Nathaniel Hawthorne's work Mosses from an Old Manse, is a captivating assortment of tales that delve into the realms of imagination and enchantment. Through his poetic and atmospheric writing style, Hawthorne invites readers into a world where reality intertwines with the fantastical, where the ordinary is transformed into the extraordinary.

One of the notable stories in this collection is "The Hall of Fantasy," which serves as the eponymous centerpiece. In this tale, Hawthorne introduces us to a mysterious and ethereal chamber located within an old mansion. As the main character ventures into the hall, he encounters sculptures that come to life, haunting melodies, and other supernatural phenomena. Throughout this tale, Hawthorne skillfully explores the blurred boundaries between what is real and what is imagined, leaving readers questioning the nature of reality itself.

Hawthorne's masterful storytelling does not stop there, as he continues to whisk readers away on other mesmerizing journeys. In "The Christmas Banquet," a group of individuals are transported back in time to experience a lavish banquet from centuries ago. As they immerse themselves in the grandeur and conviviality of the event, Hawthorne subtly examines themes of nostalgia, the passage of time, and the limits of human perception.

Another notable story, "The Great Stone Face," takes readers to a serene valley where a weathered mountain resembles the face of a wise and noble figure. Throughout generations, the inhabitants of the valley anticipate the arrival of a man whose face perfectly matches the mountain's. Hawthorne weaves a fable-like narrative that explores notions of heroism, identity, and the value of personal integrity.

What unifies these tales, beyond their thematic depth and imaginative premises, is Hawthorne's rich and evocative prose. His care for the intricacies of language is evident throughout the collection, with sentences that flow melodically and descriptions that paint vivid pictures in the reader's mind. There is a poetic quality to his writing that enhances the ethereal nature of the stories, making them all the more captivating.

The Hall of Fantasy, stemming from the larger body of work Mosses from an Old Manse, showcases Hawthorne's talent for transporting readers to extraordinary realms while subtly exploring profound themes. By intertwining the fantastical with elements of human nature, he creates a collection of stories that resonates deeply within the reader's soul. Each tale is a window into the depths of Hawthorne's imagination and a testament to his literary prowess.

First Page:

It has happened to me, on various occasions, to find myself in a certain edifice which would appear to have some of the characteristics of a public exchange. Its interior is a spacious hall, with a pavement of white marble. Overhead is a lofty dome, supported by long rows of pillars of fantastic architecture, the idea of which was probably taken from the Moorish ruins of the Alhambra, or perhaps from some enchanted edifice in the Arabian tales. The windows of this hall have a breadth and grandeur of design and an elaborateness of workmanship that have nowhere been equalled, except in the Gothic cathedrals of the Old World. Like their prototypes, too, they admit the light of heaven only through stained and pictured glass, thus filling the hall with many colored radiance and painting its marble floor with beautiful or grotesque designs; so that its inmates breathe, as it were, a visionary atmosphere, and tread upon the fantasies of poetic minds. These peculiarities, combining a wilder mixture of styles than even an American architect usually recognizes as allowable, Grecian, Gothic, Oriental, and nondescript, cause the whole edifice to give the impression of a dream, which might be dissipated and shattered to fragments by merely stamping the foot upon the pavement... Continue reading book >>