Nathaniel Hawthorne, Rappaccini’s Daughter

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“Rappaccini’s Daughter” is possibly the best known of Nathaniel Hawthorne's stories and was certainly given more revision than any of his other tales: it was first published in the

United States Magazine and Democratic Review

in December of 1844, included in his second short-story collection,

Mosses from an Old Manse

(1846), and received further “stylistic” modification in 1854 (

Hawthorne

X:507, 537, 549). The tale's third-person voice gives us a glimpse into the life of Giovanni Guasconti who has come from southern Italy to Padua, to pursue his studies there at the University. A garden next to his lodgings soon attracts his interest, and eventually his attention is riveted on a young woman who frequents that garden. A meeting between the two characters occurs and a relationship…

2487 words

Citation: Sucur, Slobodan. "Rappaccini’s Daughter". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 23 June 2006 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=16909, accessed 19 March 2024.]

16909 Rappaccini’s Daughter 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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