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Earth's Holocaust
Once upon a time-but whether in the time past or time to come is a matter of little or no moment-this wide world had become so overburdened with an accumulation of worn-out trumpery, that the inhabitants determined to rid themselves of it by a general bonfire. The site fixed upon at the representation of the insurance companies, and as being as central a spot as any other on the globe, was one of the broadest prairies of the West, where no human habitation would be endangered by the flames, and where a vast assemblage of spectators might commodiously admire the show. Having a taste for sights of this kind, and imagining, likewise, that the illumination of the bonfire might reveal some profundity of moral truth heretofore hidden in mist or darkness, I made it convenient to journey thither and be present. At my arrival, although the heap of condemned rubbish was as yet comparatively small, the torch had already been applied. Amid that boundless plain, in the dusk of the evening, like a far off star alone in the firmament, there was merely visible one tremulous gleam, whence none could have anticipated so fierce a blaze as was destined to ensue.
Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1844
About the author
Nathaniel Hawthorne
4,103 books3,105 followersNathaniel Hawthorne was a 19th century American novelist and short story writer. He is seen as a key figure in the development of American literature for his tales of the nation's colonial history.
Shortly after graduating from Bowdoin College, Hathorne changed his name to Hawthorne. Hawthorne anonymously published his first work, a novel titled Fanshawe, in 1828. In 1837, he published Twice-Told Tales and became engaged to painter and illustrator Sophia Peabody the next year. He worked at a Custom House and joined a Transcendentalist Utopian community, before marrying Peabody in 1842. The couple moved to The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts, later moving to Salem, the Berkshires, then to The Wayside in Concord. The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. A political appointment took Hawthorne and family to Europe before returning to The Wayside in 1860. Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864, leaving behind his wife and their three children.
Much of Hawthorne's writing centers around New England and many feature moral allegories with a Puritan inspiration. His work is considered part of the Romantic movement and includes novels, short stories, and a biography of his friend, the United States President Franklin Pierce.
Shortly after graduating from Bowdoin College, Hathorne changed his name to Hawthorne. Hawthorne anonymously published his first work, a novel titled Fanshawe, in 1828. In 1837, he published Twice-Told Tales and became engaged to painter and illustrator Sophia Peabody the next year. He worked at a Custom House and joined a Transcendentalist Utopian community, before marrying Peabody in 1842. The couple moved to The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts, later moving to Salem, the Berkshires, then to The Wayside in Concord. The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. A political appointment took Hawthorne and family to Europe before returning to The Wayside in 1860. Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864, leaving behind his wife and their three children.
Much of Hawthorne's writing centers around New England and many feature moral allegories with a Puritan inspiration. His work is considered part of the Romantic movement and includes novels, short stories, and a biography of his friend, the United States President Franklin Pierce.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 29, 2019
First published in Graham's Lady's and Gentleman's Magazine, XXV (May, 1844), Earth’s Holocaust is one of Hawthorne’s finest allegories, worthy of Spenser and Bunyan, and—perhaps an even greater compliment—worthy of his own superb “The Celestial Railroad.”
Here, in his version of Savonarola’s Bonfire of the Vanities, the citizens of the world become so overburdened with “the accumulation of worn-out trumperies” that they decide to destroy all of them in a great bonfire located—fittingly—on the great plains of the American West. Into the fire (kindled by yesterday’s newspapers), they cast: heraldic symbols, military medals, royal robes, crown jewels; liquor and tobacco; “all weapons and munitions of war” gallows, guillotines, headsmen’s axes; then marriage licenses, legal contracts, paper money, gold and silver; the books of the world; and mitres, croziers, crosses, baptismal fonts, and—yes—the Bible.
The problem is, that nobody really seems satisfied and happy, including the Last Hangman, the Last Thief, and the Last Murderer:
The best counsel for all of us is,' remarked the hangman, 'that- as soon as we have finished the last drop of liquor- I help you, my three friends, to a comfortable end upon the nearest tree, and then hang myself on the same bough. This is no world for us any longer.'
'Poh, poh, my good fellows!' said a dark-complexioned personage, who now joined the group- his complexion was indeed fearfully dark, and his eyes glowed with a redder light than that of the bonfire- 'Be not so cast down, my dear friends; you shall see good days yet. There is one thing that these wiseacres have forgotten to throw into the fire, and without which all the rest of the conflagration is just nothing at all; yes- though they had burnt the earth itself to a cinder.'
'And what may that be?' eagerly demanded the last murderer.
'What but the human heart itself!' said the dark-visaged stranger, with a portentous grin. 'And unless they hit upon some method of purifying that foul cavern, forth from it will reissue all the shapes of wrong and misery-the same old shapes, or worse ones-which they have taken such a vast deal of trouble to consume to ashes. I have stood by, this live-long night, and laughed in my sleeve at the whole business. Oh, take my word for it, it will be the old world yet!'
January 11, 2024
Not one of his best..
Burning of books (amongst many other things). Did this help spark Ray Bradbury’s imagination for Fahrenheit..?
Burning of books (amongst many other things). Did this help spark Ray Bradbury’s imagination for Fahrenheit..?
August 10, 2015
What a perfect picture of the cultural cleansers and totalitarians of today who seek to save us from "dead white men" authors and Confederate monuments in a mad rush to remake society into their version of utopia.
February 11, 2015
When the Devil tricked the world into burning away everything they thought would lead to progress, they come to realize that the only way they could truly change the Earth is by purifying their hearts. Beautiful but dark story.
November 1, 2017
A warning against progress
Hawthorne’s famous allegory admonishes societies that only a change in the human ontological condition ever will truly bring about a perfect society. Aestheticism, iconoclasm, and the destruction of conservative intellectual dispositions and societal norms appear as mindless and vaporous attempts to cure society from its greatest source of violence, hatred, and oppression: the human heart.
Hawthorne’s famous allegory admonishes societies that only a change in the human ontological condition ever will truly bring about a perfect society. Aestheticism, iconoclasm, and the destruction of conservative intellectual dispositions and societal norms appear as mindless and vaporous attempts to cure society from its greatest source of violence, hatred, and oppression: the human heart.
January 16, 2012
I loved this short story. It was simple and a pretty literal parable, but the way that Hawthorne writes is so intriguing and interesting. The characters are given no names because individuality doesn't matter in the story. The ideas portrayed are so compelling that you'll be thinking about them long after you finish this short piece.
What would become of the world if all man-made creations: money, literature, religion, weapons were thrown into a fire and melted? What would remain of the human spirit? Does there exist a possibility to start fresh, anew and create a better world?
Hawthorne explores all this and more in just a few pages of delectable prose. Definitely worth a perusal if you find yourself with some free time.
What would become of the world if all man-made creations: money, literature, religion, weapons were thrown into a fire and melted? What would remain of the human spirit? Does there exist a possibility to start fresh, anew and create a better world?
Hawthorne explores all this and more in just a few pages of delectable prose. Definitely worth a perusal if you find yourself with some free time.
June 3, 2017
The heart of the matter.
Read
November 4, 2021I believe that I cannot rate this short tale as I am not sure about the impression that it has made on me. In my opinion, there is too much theory along it, but it is a beautiful reflection though.
March 31, 2020
30 pag molto intense e interessanti... da rileggere un giorno per vedere se colgo altri aspetti del racconto che oggi ho intuito ma non compreso del tutto.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews