The Blithedale Romance Summary

The Blithedale Romance is a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1852 while he was in the Berkshires near Lenox, Massachusetts, and published the same year. Belonging to the American Renaissance period, it falls under the genres of romance and literary fiction. The novel is set in 19th-century Boston and follows a first-person narrative. Its climax occurs when Hollingsworth ends his relationship with Zenobia in favor of Priscilla, leading Zenobia to take her own life. The main antagonist of the story is Professor Westervelt.

Miles Coverdale is getting ready to leave his comfortable bachelor life in mid-19th-century Boston to start a new life at Blithedale, a rural utopian community. Many young, well-known intellectuals are also joining the project, making it a popular topic in the newspapers. The night before leaving, Coverdale goes to see a show featuring the Veiled Lady, a mysterious figure known for her mesmeric abilities. During the show, he asks her about the future of Blithedale and later walks home, thinking about her vague answers. On his way, an old man named Moodie stops him and says he has a favor to ask. However, Moodie quickly changes his mind and says he would rather ask a woman or an older man. Confused, Coverdale suggests Moodie talk to Hollingsworth, a philanthropist who is also going to Blithedale. Moodie thanks him and leaves. The next day, Coverdale joins four other men as they walk through a snowstorm to reach Blithedale.

By the time they arrive at the farmhouse, Coverdale feels like he has caught a cold. However, he is excited to meet Mrs. Foster, whose husband will be teaching them how to work on the farm. He talks with some of the new residents until Zenobia, a beautiful writer and women’s rights advocate, enters to greet them. Coverdale is immediately captivated by her beauty and wit, especially noticing the exotic flower she wears in her hair. The group discusses their new life at Blithedale until it is time for dinner.

During dinner, Zenobia comments on how strange it is that Hollingsworth is late. Just as she says this, he arrives, bringing with him a pale teenage girl. The girl, named Priscilla, refuses to say her last name and seems drawn to Zenobia. Coverdale guesses that Priscilla admires Zenobia because she has read her stories, but Zenobia dismisses this idea. She explains that Priscilla is just a nervous seamstress who has spent her life working in a small, dirty room in the city. Silas Foster, the farm manager, tells everyone to go to bed early since they have to wake up early for work.

As Coverdale feared, he develops a bad cold overnight and becomes very ill. He feels so weak that he believes he might die. He begs Hollingsworth to send him back to the city, but Hollingsworth refuses and instead takes care of him day and night. While Coverdale appreciates this, he realizes that Hollingsworth is obsessed with his goal of criminal reform. Hollingsworth wants to build a place where he can reform criminals by helping them develop their intellectual and spiritual sides. As Coverdale recovers, he starts wondering about Zenobia’s past. She seems more like a married woman than an innocent maiden, and Coverdale becomes convinced she has been married before, though he has no proof. He feels ashamed for thinking about this so much.

On Coverdale’s first day out of bed, he finds Zenobia playfully decorating Priscilla with twigs and flowers. Priscilla has become much happier and more beautiful since coming to Blithedale. Coverdale also feels renewed and eagerly begins his farm work. However, he quickly realizes that hard labor does not lead to deep thinking as he had hoped. Instead, he is too exhausted to write poetry. Zenobia teases him about his future as a farmer, while Hollingsworth bluntly tells him that he cannot write because he is not a real poet. Hollingsworth insists that he himself still feels like a philanthropist because that is his true nature. Zenobia praises Hollingsworth, making Coverdale wonder if she and Priscilla are becoming his followers.

Coverdale becomes obsessed with the relationship between Zenobia, Hollingsworth, and Priscilla. He believes that Hollingsworth is too focused on his mission to truly love anyone, yet both Zenobia and Priscilla seem devoted to him. Coverdale worries that Priscilla will fall in love with Hollingsworth and be heartbroken when she realizes he cannot love her back. Zenobia is in the same situation, but Coverdale is less concerned for her because she is strong and intelligent. One evening, Coverdale watches Priscilla sitting happily at Hollingsworth’s feet on the porch. Zenobia interrupts and calls Priscilla over, saying she must teach her about propriety. Coverdale wonders what will happen to the three of them.

One day, Moodie approaches Coverdale and Hollingsworth to ask about Priscilla. Coverdale realizes that Moodie must have sent Priscilla to Blithedale. Moodie is happy to hear that Priscilla is doing well and also asks whether Zenobia is kind to her. Coverdale finds this question strange but reassures Moodie that Zenobia and Priscilla act like sisters. Later, Coverdale sees Moodie standing outside the farmhouse, watching Priscilla’s window. Priscilla appears in the window with Zenobia, but Zenobia soon pushes her away. Moodie angrily shakes his fist before walking off.

Not long after, Coverdale meets a mysterious man named Professor Westervelt in the forest. He immediately dislikes him but still tells him where he can find Zenobia. Later, Coverdale overhears Westervelt and Zenobia talking. Westervelt whispers something to Zenobia that upsets her. She responds that if God cares for her, He will free her from this situation.

That evening, Zenobia tells a story about the Veiled Lady, who disappeared at the height of her popularity. In the story, a young man named Theodore sneaks into the Veiled Lady’s room to see her face. When she enters, she senses his presence and calls him forward. He removes her veil but only sees her face for a moment before she vanishes. Around the same time, a young girl appears among a group of visionaries and becomes attached to one woman. The magician who exhibited the Veiled Lady finds the woman and convinces her to help recapture the girl. To do this, the woman must place a veil over the girl and say magic words. She obeys, and the magician successfully reclaims the Veiled Lady. As Zenobia finishes her tale, she throws a veil over Priscilla, who is terrified.

Some time later, Coverdale, Hollingsworth, Zenobia, and Priscilla visit a rock formation called Eliot’s Pulpit. There, Zenobia starts a debate about women’s rights, predicting that women will one day be treated as equals and prove they are as eloquent as men. Coverdale agrees, but Hollingsworth argues that a woman’s place is beside a man, not as his equal. He even says he would use force to keep women in their place if necessary. Coverdale is horrified, but Zenobia only tearfully says that women will accept their roles if men are good and strong. A few days later, Hollingsworth asks Coverdale to help with his criminal reform project. Coverdale refuses, and after an argument, he decides to leave Blithedale.

Back in Boston, Coverdale stays in a cheap hotel and notices that Zenobia, Westervelt, and Priscilla are staying in a boardinghouse nearby. He spies on them, but when they notice, they lower the curtain. The next day, he visits them, but Zenobia is angry at his interference. When Westervelt orders them to leave, Coverdale asks Priscilla if she is going willingly. She replies that she has no free will.

Coverdale finds Moodie, who reveals that Zenobia and Priscilla are half-sisters. Zenobia was raised by a wealthy uncle, while Moodie raised Priscilla, who became known for her clairvoyant abilities. When Coverdale later attends the Veiled Lady show, Hollingsworth interrupts, calls Priscilla to him, and she removes her veil and leaves with him.

Coverdale returns to Blithedale and finds Zenobia heartbroken. She soon drowns herself. Years later, he visits Priscilla and Hollingsworth, who are married. He realizes that he had always loved Priscilla.