An Analysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Perspectives Of Ethics In Science And Technology

Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of the greatest romantic novelists and psychological novelists in the 19th century.His works are philosophic with exquisite writing techniques.Besides four romances,he publishes over 100 short stories and essays which are collected in Twice-Told Tales,Mosses from an Old Manse and The Snow-Image.His short stories are set in the history and real life in New England,and discuss the human nature and destiny of human beings.Famous short stories such as Young Goodman Brown,The Minister s Black Veil reveal that everyone has a hidden evil to some extent,and express his view that human nature is evil and individuals are lonely.Meanwhile,some other stories such as The Birthmark and Rappaccinis Daughter,reflect his doubts on science and reason as well as his thoughts of opposing Ultra and paranoid.Through the intensive reading of Hawthorne’s short stories,it can be found that Hawthorne writes many short stories to explore the relationship between human beings and science.By analyzing the plot of the two short stories,mainly concerning the behaviors and tragedies of protagonists,to explore Nathaniel Hawthorne’s perspectives of ethics in science and technology.His short stories,The Birthmark and Rappaccini’s Daughter,typically reveal that human beings,crazy fascination and abuse of science and technology destroy human spirits and ecological environment.This not only shows that Nathaniel Hawthorne attaches great emphasis on human existence and natural environment,but also indicates his serious thinking about the relationship between human beings and nature.The thesis finds that Hawthorne thinks that the excessive pursuit of science and technology causes the loss of human nature,and human beings are gradually alienated.Finally,Nathaniel Hawthorne’s perspectives of ethics in science and technology offers us the enlightenment on human spirits and ecological environment.Hawthorne advocates that human beings should go close to nature,purify their minds in nature.The study of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s perspectives of ethics in science and technology not only provides a new way to interpret his works,but it is also beneficial for human beings to realize the influence of technological development and to view science reasonably.Following the laws of nature is the premise of scientific research,if not,any blindly scientific experiments will be useless and even end up with tragedies.