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Excerpt from Twice-Told Tales, by Nathaniel Hawthorne

THE HOLLOW OF THE THREE HILLS

In those strange old times, when fantastic dreams and madmen's
reveries were realized among the actual circumstances of life,
two persons met together at an appointed hour and place. One was
a lady, graceful in form and fair of feature, though pale and
troubled, and smitten with an untimely blight in what should have
been the fullest bloom of her years; the other was an ancient and
meanly-dressed woman, of ill-favored aspect, and so withered,
shrunken, and decrepit, that even the space since she began to
decay must have exceeded the ordinary term of human existence. In
the spot where they encountered, no mortal could observe them.
Three little hills stood near each other, and down in the midst
of them sunk a hollow basin, almost mathematically circular, two
or three hundred feet in breadth, and of such depth that a
stately cedar might but just be visible above the sides. Dwarf
pines were numerous upon the hills, and partly fringed the outer
verge of the intermediate hollow, within which there was nothing
but the brown grass of October, and here and there a tree trunk
that had fallen long ago, and lay mouldering with no green
successor from its roots. One of these masses of decaying wood,
formerly a majestic oak, rested close beside a pool of green and
sluggish water at the bottom of the basin. Such scenes as this
(so gray tradition tells) were once the resort of the Power of
Evil and his plighted subjects; and here, at midnight or on the
dim verge of evening, they were said to stand round the mantling
pool, disturbing its putrid waters in the performance of an
impious baptismal rite. The chill beauty of an autumnal sunset
was now gilding the three hill-tops, whence a paler tint stole
down their sides into the hollow.

"Here is our pleasant meeting come to pass," said the aged crone,
"according as thou hast desired. Say quickly what thou wouldst
have of me, for there is but a short hour that we may tarry
here."

Explanation ​

Detailed Explanation of The Hollow of the Three Hills (Excerpt from Twice-Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne) ​

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Hollow of the Three Hills (1837) is a dark, allegorical tale from his collection Twice-Told Tales, which explores themes of sin, guilt, supernatural temptation, and the corrupting influence of forbidden knowledge. The excerpt provided sets the stage for a sinister encounter between a young, troubled woman and an ancient, witch-like figure in a desolate, cursed landscape. Below is a close reading of the passage, analyzing its context, themes, literary devices, and significance, with primary focus on the text itself.

1. Context & Background ​

  • Author & Collection: Hawthorne (1804–1864) was a key figure in Dark Romanticism, a subgenre that emphasized human depravity, psychological torment, and the supernatural. Twice-Told Tales (1837, expanded 1842) includes morally ambiguous stories often set in Puritan New England, blending history, folklore, and Gothic elements.
  • Historical Influence: The tale reflects Puritan fears of witchcraft and demonic pacts (e.g., Salem witch trials), as well as Hawthorne’s fascination with hidden sin (a recurring theme in works like The Scarlet Letter).
  • Genre: A Gothic allegory, the story warns against the pursuit of forbidden knowledge (akin to Faustian bargains or Eve’s temptation in Eden).

2. Themes in the Excerpt ​

The opening establishes several central themes:

A. The Corruption of Nature & the Supernatural ​

  • The setting is a decaying, unnatural landscape—a "hollow basin" where "dwarf pines" and "mouldering" trees suggest moral and physical rot. The "sluggish" pool, described as "putrid," evokes stagnation and sin (water, typically a symbol of purity, is here corrupted).
  • The "Power of Evil" and "impious baptismal rite" hint at Satanic rituals, framing the hollow as a liminal space between the mortal and infernal worlds. The reference to "gray tradition" ties the scene to folklore and collective fear.

B. The Duality of Appearance vs. Reality ​

  • The young woman is "graceful" and "fair" but "pale and troubled," with an "untimely blight"—her beauty masks inner decay (likely guilt or despair).
  • The old crone is "meanly-dressed," "ill-favored," and unnaturally ancient, suggesting she is not human but a supernatural tempter (a witch or devil’s agent). Her age defies natural limits, implying immortality through evil.

C. Time & Transience ​

  • The meeting occurs at "the dim verge of evening" (twilight, a liminal time) and is constrained by "a short hour"—time is fleeting and ominous.
  • The autumnal sunset (symbolizing decline) contrasts with the woman’s "blighted" youth, reinforcing mortality and lost innocence.

D. Isolation & Secrecy ​

  • The hollow is hidden from mortal eyes, emphasizing the clandestine nature of sin. The circular basin (like a witch’s cauldron or Dante’s Inferno) traps the characters in their moral descent.

3. Literary Devices & Stylistic Analysis ​

Hawthorne’s prose is rich in symbolism, imagery, and Gothic atmosphere:

A. Imagery & Symbolism ​

  • The Hollow: A womb/tomb—both a place of birth (of sin) and death (moral ruin). Its circular shape suggests eternity or cyclical damnation.
  • The Pool: Represents corruption (baptism perverted into an "impious rite") and stagnation (no growth, only decay).
  • The Fallen Oak: Symbolizes lost strength and moral collapse ("majestic" now "mouldering").
  • Autumn: Traditionally a season of harvest and decline, mirroring the woman’s premature decay.

B. Personification & Pathetic Fallacy ​

  • The landscape reflects the characters’ inner states: the "chill beauty" of sunset parallels the woman’s cold despair; the "withershrunken" crone embodies evil’s enduring presence.
  • The hills witness but do not judge, creating a silent, complicit atmosphere.

C. Foreshadowing & Ominous Tone ​

  • The crone’s line—"Say quickly what thou wouldst have of me"—implies a Faustian bargain. The urgency ("short hour") suggests irreversible consequences.
  • The reference to "plighted subjects" (those bound to evil) hints that the woman is already damned or about to be.

D. Contrast & Juxtaposition ​

  • Youth vs. Age: The woman’s blighted beauty vs. the crone’s unnatural longevity.
  • Life vs. Death: The "brown grass" (dead) vs. the "stately cedar" (barely visible, clinging to life).
  • Light vs. Dark: The "chill beauty" of sunset (false warmth) vs. the encroaching darkness of the hollow.

4. Significance of the Excerpt ​

This opening establishes the story’s moral and supernatural framework:

  • The Woman’s Desperation: Her "untimely blight" suggests she seeks the crone’s help for a forbidden purpose (later revealed to be necromancy—she wants to see her dead lover and child, implying infanticide or adultery).
  • The Crone as Temptation: She is a gatekeeper to dark knowledge, offering what the woman desires at a terrible cost (her soul or sanity).
  • The Hollow as Moral Abyss: The setting externalizes the woman’s guilt, making her sin inescapable and visible.

Hawthorne critiques human curiosity and the illusion of control over fate. The woman’s quest for forbidden sight (like Pandora or Eve) will lead only to greater suffering, reinforcing the Puritan belief in predestination and the dangers of defying divine will.

5. Connection to Hawthorne’s Broader Works ​

  • Sin & Secrecy: Like The Scarlet Letter, the tale explores hidden guilt (the woman’s crime is implied but not stated).
  • Supernatural Punishment: As in Young Goodman Brown, the devil (or his agent) exploits human weakness.
  • Gothic Allegory: The hollow functions like the forest in Young Goodman Brown—a place where moral boundaries dissolve.

Conclusion: Why This Excerpt Matters ​

This passage is a masterclass in Gothic atmosphere and moral allegory. Hawthorne uses decaying nature, eerie isolation, and supernatural undertones to warn against the pursuit of forbidden knowledge. The hollow is not just a setting but a psychological and spiritual prison, reflecting the inescapable weight of sin. The crone’s presence suggests that evil is always waiting for the desperate, and the woman’s "blight" foreshadows that some knowledge destroys rather than enlightens.

In essence, the excerpt embodies Dark Romanticism’s core: the idea that humanity’s reach for the divine or diabolical leads only to ruin.