Sylph Etherege / (From: "The Snow Image and Other Twice-Told Tales")

Name: Sylph Etherege / (From: "The Snow Image and Other Twice-Told Tales")
Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne

A sheltered young woman sustains an idealized devotion to a distant cousin she has known only through letters and a treasured miniature, inhabiting a private world of fancy that comforts her loneliness. After the death of her guardian she goes to live with a wealthy relative but keeps retreating into solitary visions of the imagined beloved. A polished yet mocking acquaintance of the cousin arrives, studies her habits, and deliberately tests and undermines her reveries by producing the miniature and treating her attachment as a game. His intrusion and scorn begin to erode the border between her dreamlike love and unsettling reality.

By Nathaniel Hawthorne

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American Literature Short Stories

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About the Author

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer, born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts. He is best known for his exploration of moral complexity and the human condition, often set against the backdrop of New England's Puritan heritage. His notable works include "The Scarlet Letter," which delves into themes of sin and redemption, and "The House of the Seven Gables," a tale of guilt and retribution. Hawthorne's writing is characterized by its rich symbolism and psychological depth, making significant contributions to American literature. His stories often reflect his fascination with the darker aspects of human nature and the consequences of isolation.