AMERICAN NASIONALISM IN NATHANIEL HAWTHORNES MY KINSMAN MAJOR MOLINEUX By ITSNA SYAHADATUD DINURRIYAH English Department Faculty of Humanities

ABSTRACT Formally, America got its independency in July 4 1776 but the spirit of nationalism developed after the idea of transcendentalism introduced by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. They opened American public to be proud of themselves without readopted European/British values which they were fond before. This Period called American romanticism. In this era, there were a lot of literary works written by immigrants descents. They created symbolic writings which described the struggle of American people in getting their independency. Most of them became canon literature and read by many people up to now, one of them was My Kinsman Major Molineux written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. There are some analysis conveyed that this work is a symbol of American change from pastoral to the city that more capitalist. But in this writing, the writer tries to analyze this works from the perspective of nationalism happened in romanticism era.

Key words: transendentalisme, romantisme, canon, pastoral

INTRODUCTION Romanticism is a movement began from the idea of self-realization and nature as a human. This movement gave a lot of enlightenment to human to realize who they were and what they should do. Philosophically, romanticism represents a shift from the objective to the subjective. In this case, the existence of human is really respected and important; it also became the base of democracy. The Romantic Movement, which originated in Germany yet quickly spread to England, France, and other countries reached America around the year 1820. In America as in Europe, fresh new vision astonished artistic and intellectual circles. First is Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who is often considered the father of Romanticism. And the last is Friedrich Nietzsche, who is sometimes considered the greatest Romantic. In 1762, Rousseau wrote "Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains". He thought that civilization fills "man" with unnatural wants
and seduces him away from his true nature and original freedom.

For Nietzsche the "will to power" is the most basic human drive. He thought that this will to power is a creative force and that human beings will progress to a new level of being. He says that we have separated two important aspects of ourselves: The "Dionysian" (celebratory and unconscious) and the "Apollonian" (conscious and rational). So, by having the will to power people can be creative to reach it and after that he can get his progress.

A. ROMANTICISM IN AMERICA

We will walk with our own feet We will work with our own hands We will speak our own minds

-Ralph Waldo Emerson The poem above is a representative of individualism idea. The idea emphasizes that everyone must believe to their own potential values. It is not the idea of being selfish or egoistic because individualism brings human values increase to its own level. The more you believe in the individualism the more you respect to others idea or opinion. In America, Emerson was said as the father of Romanticism. His idea about transcendentalism in his writing Self-Reliance inspired many American people to consider about their own country. Emerson gives a brand new thought of acknowledgment to the importance of individual in his Self-reliance (1841). This work was created in American romantic period, which is the period of searching identity of a growing nation, the United States of America. American wanted to be free from the influence of British that became their ancestors before. They had to realize that America is their country now and they had responsibility to develop their own country, by their own feet, hands, and minds. So that is why American Romanticism, according to Ann Woodlief, is called as American Renaissance because this was the era in which Americans awake from their unconsciousness. As stated by Leslie Perrin Wilson in Thoreau, Emerson and

Transcendentalism, nearly a century and a quarter after his death, Emerson

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remains one of the most widely read and frequently quoted of American authors. The newness of his ideas and the vigor of his style captured the attention of his lecture audiences and contemporary readers, and continue to move readers today (62). Romanticism in America (1800-1900) is a kind of the age of realism because at that time there were a lot of works showing realistic details. That is why the movement showed American identity. In this period, the movement was characterized by development of nationalistic pride, self-conscious and antiBritish, reborn as a new country, belief of self potential and equality. A little poem written by Emerson above showed the idea he thought about individualism. B. NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE It is no doubt that Nathaniel Hawthorne was one of the greatest novelists in the 19th century. His novel Scarlet Letter had brought a new nuance that people talked much about. The discussions about the essence of the story are still interesting up to now. As a great writer, it is no doubt also that all his works became very popular. One of his short stories, My Kinsman Major Moulineux that I am interested enough to discuss about is really unique even absurd because he did not appear normally through the end of the story. Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts July 4th, 1804 as a child of a ship captain, Nathaniel Hathorne and Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His father was died when he was four then made her mother overly protective toward him. This kind of childhood made him so shy and bookish and shaped his life

being a writer. Hawthorne added w in his name to keep a distance with his real big family because his great grandfather, John Hathorne, involved in witch trial in Salem. Also among his ancestors was William Hathorne, one of the first Puritan settlers who arrived in New England in 1630. With the aid of his wealthy uncles, Hawthorne attended Bowdoin College. He met some friends such as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and future U.S. president Franklin Pierce. He could improve his intellectual there. His first writing, Fanshawe, was an unsuccessful work, but later on his literary works was so famous. One of them was The Scarlet Letter. After married with Sophia Peabody, they moved to Manse in Concord, a center of the Transcendental Movement. In this place he became closed to Emerson and
Thoreau. These two people finally influenced him in that idea through his works.

Even though he lived in Romanticism era, but some critics said that Hawthorne was Victorian and Romantic writer. Much of Hawthornes writing centers around New England have many feature moral allegories with the puritan inspiration. His fiction works are considered part of the romantic-movement and more specially, dark romanticism. Dark romanticism is a transition period from Puritanism to early romanticism in which people look for sometimes new especially finding the truth of the real purifying. His themes often center on the inherent evil and sin of humanity and his works often have moral messages and deep psychological complexity. AMERICAN ROMANTICISM: INDIVIDUALISM AND SELF-INDENTITY
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A. INDIVIDUALISM The story of My Kinsman, Major Molinuex started from the young character, Robin, who came from village to meet his kinsman named Major Molinuex. Robin was the second son in his family so he could not get the heritage from his father since only the first son owned it. Then, he searched his kinsman because he did not have any children and he was a very rich man who offered him a job and shared his heritage in the town. Unfortunately, it was not as easy as he thought before. No one knew his kinsman or pretended not to know him. It was a kind of different culture between Robins original place and his kinsmans town in which for Robin the level of someone depended on the ancestors. The wealthier his ancestor was the more respectful he was. He did not need to work very hard because it would show his existence. This happened to Robin. He was so proud to his kinsman since he was a rich person and thought he was well-known so everybody knew him in the town. Unfortunately, American Romanticism did not approve that idea. In the beginning of the story, he was a very proud man so he thought his kinsman was very rich and everybody in the town knew about him. This low hotel cannot be my kinsmans dwelling,thought he,nor yonder old house, where the moonlight enters at the broken casement; Good evening to you, honored Sir. I pray you tell me whereabout is the dwelling of my kinsman, Major Moulineux. He even asked this question several times to several people but unfortunately none of them gave satisfying answers. He also rejected someones hospitable offer by saying,

Oh, that a parchment three penny might give me a right to sit down at yonder table. But my Major will make me welcome to the best of his victuals, so I will even step boldly in, and inquire my way to his dwelling. He was not interested to any welcoming offers except guidance to his kinsmans house. In the last part of this story, he came to the church and asked the man in it about the Major. This man was the only one who conversed to Robin about the Major. As the main character, Robin is a description of a young man who still looked for his identity. Being respectful, rich, well-known and settled were the ideal condition he dreamt. Unfortunately he wanted to get it by borrowing his kinsmans name. Related to the condition happened in the era which really appreciate individualism, it was everybodys right to have their dream by working hard even sometimes religious side was rather ignored because material matters seem more interesting and important. Yet, it was not the real description of American Romanticism, in Hawthornes works, because the puritan still held big portion in it. Robin, young and innocent, thought that by looking for his ancestor, Major Moulineux, he would change his condition from lower level to the upper one. Robin is the main character in the story, while the others such as barber, inn keeper, prostitution worker or clergyman are supporting characters. All characters mentioned before are pictures of society at that time and still exist up to now. Those are the portraits of how the author used universal layer in his work. It means the values in it can be accepted by people in the world.

Robin, as a young man who was looking for his identity, thought that success was merely material matter such prosperity, fame and good position. He never thought that time changed and he visited different place with a different culture. He could not depend to other person to get his dreams. He had to work hard by exploring his ability so that he could reach his success. Robins reliance to his kinsman is a description of how an innocent young man wanted to be experienced by having the heritage of his ancestor. He wanted to have his identity by searching his ancestry. But unfortunately, since he was in a new land he had to follow the new rule not the old one. That is why the story describes how Major Moulineux was punished because of his mistake. B. SELF INDENTITY Major Molineux was an absurd character for he never appeared clearly until the end of the story. As we know that name of Major Moulineux is a French name. French was one of Americans ancestors as immigrants. It was not wonder that Robin really counted on him for the heritage. In the condition of looking for identity, Robin needed somebody else to help him. Robin really depended on his Major as his fortune. Moulineux is a symbol of many things. It could be big city, money, fame, or settled position. Those all are the things people want in their life especially youngster. Robin was a young and educated man from village who has big courage to get his destiny. At first he met a barber in a barbershop. There were a lot of people there waiting for the turn. This man was very nice to Robin. But when Robin

asked about Major Moulineux s dwelling, his manner turned to the opposite side. Even all people in the barbershop mocked him. The second one he met was an innkeeper, who was very clear the second generation from French Protestant. He inherited the courtesy of his parents nation. He was also very nice at first, but then change into bad when he knows Robin only had three pennies in his pocket. Besides that Robin also asked about his kinsman and said that his kinsman had better place than the inn. Afterwards, he met a pretty woman who worked as a prostitution worker. She was very nice so she offered her place by saying,Major Moulineux is dwelling here. Fortunately Robin was smart enough to understand this condition. Then he continued the journey and he met a watchman. This one was yawning and carried a lantern. His face was broad and dull. He didnt answer Robins question when he asked the dwelling of the Major, he just gave drowsy laughter. The next, Robin met a man near a church. His forehead has double prominence, his nose is broad hooked, his eyebrows were shaggy and his eyes were fierce. His skin was twofold change; the face blazed an intense red, while the other was black. His mouth seemed to extend from ear to ear with black or red, very different with his necks color. The effect was so horrible. But he was the one who gave Robin answer about his kinsman. He said that Robin had to wait for an hour in that place to see Major Moulinex. And it was true. After an hour waiting in sleepy and dreamy condition, he saw his kinsman in bad condition. Moulineux appeared as a man who was elderly,
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large and majestic, strong, square and has steady soul but the enemies had found means to shake it. His face was pale even ghastly. His forehead was broad, showing his agony and his eyebrows formed one grizzled line. His eyes were red and wild. There was foam on his quivering lips. At that time Moulineux was poured by hot asphalt through his back and attached by feather so made his skin more painful. This condition distracted Robins imagination. In his mind, his kinsman was a person with prominent background. He admitted to everyone that Major Moulineux was his relative. He wanted to be like him. As a young man, being respectful, rich, well-known and settled were the ideal condition he dreamt. And he thought those all were in Major Moulineuxs as his relative. By this fact, he realized he could not count on his kinsman. While seeing this scene, Robin was accompanied by a clergyman in front of the church. This clergyman was a gentleman in his prime, open, intelligent, cheerful and altogether proposing countenance. He was the only one who welcomed him properly. All the description above shows that the long journey the young guy did like Robin is very important. He had to pass it to find his own identity. He had passed through many obstacles to find his kinsman even though he was disappointed at last. Again, the journey itself was very important for it gave the young one experience in shaping his identity. When he met the barber, it shows that it was part of wilderness that he had to face. It was description that people with cut hair was more civilized than the

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long one. One example of it the barber cut the wild of the nature by human knowledge in this case the tool to cut the hair. Then in the second meeting, Robin met someone who just respected his money. No money no respect. Even the innkeeper was born in a religious family, but in fact materialism took a big portion at that time. Another obstacle Robin found in his journey is the prostitution worker. Nice offer from her but Robin was smart enough to reject it. The watchman was the other thing he confused about. Why all people seemed so fury to his kinsman. What was wrong with major Moulineux? Wasnt Major Moulineux respectful, was he? None of them gave him appropriate information about him. Most of them just laughed and mocked him. Then finally he met someone horrible but gave him important information about his kinsman. Usually young man does not want accept any suggestion from the old generation. They usually want to experience by themselves to understand and belief to the virtue. It also happened to Robin. He did not understand why all people he met did not want to talk about his kinsman. Then the tragedy happened in front of him and then he understood. Fortunately he met a clergyman who really understood his condition and consideration. Even when Robin did not want to continue his journey and wanted to go back to his hometown, he just calmed him. Through the experience human would understand what kind of person he or she was, means through experience one will find his or her identity.

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The story about young Robin which was written in half ninetieth century is similar with the story of early America in its history. Young Robin is a representative of young nation in the era, America. Even though the United Stated got its independence in 1776 but this nation was still really infant. It did not have its national language and it had not had its real identity. This nation still copied or did whatever their ancestors in Europe descended to them. Then as a young man, Robin tried to find his kinsman Major Moulineux. The name of Moulineux was a French name. Robin was so proud with this man while other people mocked him. France was one of countries in Europe in which many immigrants in America came from. Getting experience through this journey made Robin understood that he could not rely on his kinsman. It had been a past. The Barber he met was wilderness that frontier found in their journey to the Wild West to get better life. Whatever the condition the frontier faced it to claim the unknown land to be their own and cultivated it. By his background who was an educated man, it showed that Robin was civilized one. He had to clash the civilization he had with the wilderness he found there. Meeting the barber and the innkeeper was the clash I mean here. The success the frontier got led them to the industrialization. Step by step America became further from the nature and getting closer to the nurture. In this case, money became very important in having relationship with others. Of course there were a lot of impact by this condition including prostitution and slum area. America became very popular in Europe and interesting enough for the new

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immigrants. There were a lot of people from Europe came to this nation just wanted to prove the fact. America became something amazing for a lot of people. Some of them liked to be settled there but some of them were very disappointed because for them Americans were not so civilized like those in Europe. There were many stories about this journey at that time. Even some of the Europeans wrote their disappointment through the famous writings. The mockery the American got from the European made them encouraged to have their own identity. Even though most of American thinkers studied in Europe and applied the knowledge in this new nation, the pattern of the thought had been change based on the situation there. That is why the watchman just gave Robin drowsy laughter when he asked about Major Moulinuex. And finally Robin saw the fact that Major Moulineux had been dumped by his society. No respectable man in the world suffered but hot asphalt on his back. It was a portrait of how the Americans had rejected anything about Europe. They wanted to build a really new nation and have it by their own. Some of immigrants who moved to America were Puritans. Their first will was to purify their religion that was corrupted by the Church when they were in England. Unfortunately this case happened again later on in America. May be the clear example of this is Hawthornes work The Scarlet Letter. But through this short story also Hawthorne wanted to display about the corruption to the public. The clergyman who Robin met was the perfect description of the pure man Hawthorne wanted to say. They did not need to cover their body by the robe, but

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the way they taught public was very important. Robin felt calm when he was accompanied by the clergyman. In short, this work is a critical literary work to the Americans condition in Romanticism era. It is a description on how people at that time tried to shape their own identity through individualism. For that, equality was needed. It did not matter from what kind of family background someone came, but by the work they proved they were eligible to get better life. They found their identity as the pure American apart from their ancestors. CONCLUSION The significant problems in this work are symbolic values that are used by the author connected with human life. Those two things become the points to show how Americans used individualism to get their identity. By the analysis in the previous chapter, this paper concerns to those social phenomena that are shown through the characters elements by using symbolic forms. The characters in the story are the reflection of people who lived in the era. America began realize to have its own character in the middle of 19th century, strengthen by the idea of Emersons transcendentalism gave an impact to the society that individualism had a big role. In the romanticism era, people did not really believe in Puritanism since some lies appeared there. Finding the truth, such as the characteristic of romanticism era, influenced this story very much.

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Such as in the story, it shows the truth that finding Major Moulineux, who Robin thought was able to help him, was not a good reliance. Living in America means living for working hard and having good dream for everyone. They are treated equally, and they have right to prove it for pursuit of happiness, in which it shows transcendentalism.

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http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/romanticism.html. 1999 HeilbrunnTimeline of Art History. Thematic Essay. Romanticism.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/roma/hd_roma.htm. 2000-2011 Hollinger, David A. and Charles Capper (eds) The American Intellectual Tradition, Vol. I and II, 3 rd. ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997 Internet online, Definition of Romanticism. Htm, October 2008 Jones, Roger. Romanticism. http://www.philosopher.org.uk/rom.htm Pritchard, John Paul. Criticism in America: An Account of the Development of Critical Techniques From The early Period of the Republic to the Middle

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Years of the Twentieth Century. University of Oklahoma Press. Oklahoma. 1956 Wilson, Leslie Perrin. Thoreau, Emerson and Transcendentalism. Foster City: IDG Books Worldwide, 2000. Woodlief, Ann. Introduction to American Romanticism.

www.MoreonAmericanRomaticism. 08/18/01 www.gonzaga.edu/faculty/campbell/about.htm, American Romanticism, October 2008.

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