Nathaniel Hawthorne’s "The House Of The Seven Gables," Episodes
The House of the Seven Gables: A Romance is a Gothic novel written beginning in mid-1850 by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne and published in April 1851 by Ticknor and Fields of Boston. The novel follows a New England family and their ancestral home. In the book, Hawthorne explores themes of guilt, retribution, and atonement, and colors the tale with suggestions of the supernatural and witchcraft. The setting for the book was inspired by the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion, a gabled house in Salem, Massachusetts, belonging to Hawthorne's cousin Susanna Ingersoll, as well as ancestors of Hawthorne who had played a part in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. The book was well received upon publication and has been adapted several times to film and television.
March 27, 2026
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES Chapter 21 The Departure
The Departure In this series finale, we witness the end of an era. The Seven Gables is no longer a prison or a tomb, but a relic of a past that has finally been laid to rest. In Chapter 21, the threads of the Maule curse and the Pyncheon greed are finally untangled. This is the final chapter of Nathaniel Hawthorne's masterpiece. It’s the moment where the heavy, dusty curtains of the Pyncheon legacy are finally pulled back to let in the light. Credits Producer Gizelle Erickson Exe...
March 20, 2026
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES Chapter 20: The Flower of Eden
The Flower of Eden In this episode, we explore Chapter 20, where the Eden of the title refers not to a physical place, but to the blossoming relationship between Phoebe and Holgrave amidst the literal shadow of death. While Judge Pyncheon lies cold in the parlor, a new life is beginning just a few rooms away. This chapter serves as the emotional resolution of the novel’s romantic arc. It is a moment of stillness and profound connection that stands in stark contrast to the macabre imagery o...
March 13, 2026
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES Chapter 19: Alice’s Posies
Alice’s Posies In this episode, we cover Chapter 19, where the "storm" has literally and figuratively passed. The focus shifts from the dead Judge to the return of the living, as Phoebe Pyncheon comes back to a house that is fundamentally changed. This chapter provides the breath of fresh air the reader (and the characters) desperately needs after the suffocating darkness of the Judge’s death. It’s a transition from the macabre back into the light, though the light reveals a startling new ...
March 6, 2026
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES Chapter 18 Governor Pyncheon
Governor Pyncheon In this episode, we cover Chapter 18, "Governor Pyncheon." While previous chapters were filled with the frantic movement of Hepzibah and Clifford’s flight, this chapter is defined by a terrifying, heavy stillness. The narrator takes on a taunting, almost ghoulish tone as he addresses the unmoving figure of Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon. This chapter is widely considered one of the most stylistically unique and macabre pieces of writing in Hawthorne's career. It is a haunting "me...
Feb. 27, 2026
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES Chapter 17 The Flight of Two Owls
The Flight of Two Owls In this episode, we follow Hepzibah and Clifford as they flee the scene of Judge Pyncheon’s death. For the first time in decades, the "two owls" leave their dark nest and venture into a world that has moved on without them. This chapter is one of the most surreal and modern-feeling sections of the entire novel. After the claustrophobic tension of the Gables, Hawthorne suddenly throws his two most reclusive characters into the rushing speed of the 19th-century Industr...
Feb. 20, 2026
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES Chapter 16: Clifford’s Chamber
Clifford’s Chamber This chapter is the point of no return for the novel. The tension that has been building since the Judge’s arrival in the previous chapter finally snaps, leading to one of the most eerie and surreal sequences in all of Gothic literature. In this episode, we cover the chilling events of Chapter 16. As a literal and metaphorical storm rages, the power dynamics within the House of the Seven Gables are flipped upside down in a single, silent moment. Credits Producer Gize...
Feb. 13, 2026
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES Chapter 15: The Scowl and Smile
This chapter is where the slow-burn tension of the novel finally catches fire. With Phoebe gone, the "protective sunshine" has vanished, leaving Hepzibah and Clifford vulnerable to the family’s most dangerous predator. Show Notes Summary: The Scowl and Smile In this episode, we break down Chapter 15, a masterclass in psychological tension and the deconstruction of a villain. With a storm brewing outside, an even darker presence enters the House of the Seven Gables: Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon....
Feb. 6, 2026
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES Chapter 14: Phoebe's Goodbye
This chapter marks a major turning point in the emotional landscape of the house. While Chapter 13 was about the ghosts of the past, Chapter 14 is very much about the changing hearts of the living. Phoebe’s Good-bye In this episode, we explore the aftermath of Holgrave’s storytelling and the quiet transformation of our protagonist. As Phoebe prepares to leave the House of the Seven Gables for a brief return to her country home, we witness a shift from the sunny girl who arrived to a woman ...
Jan. 30, 2026
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES Chapter 13: Alice Pyncheon
Today we dive into one of the most atmospheric chapters of Nathanial Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables. Chapter 13 is a fascinating story within a story that highlights Hawthorne’s obsession with ancestral guilt and the supernatural. The Legend of Alice Pyncheon In this episode, we step away from the present-day tension of the Gables as Holgrave reads an original manuscript to Phoebe. We are transported back three generations to meet Alice Pyncheon, the beautiful and haughty daugh...
Jan. 23, 2026
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES Chapter 12 The Daguerreotypist
Tonight we peel back the moss-grown layers of Nathaniel Hawthorne's gothic masterpiece, The House of the Seven Gables, to examine a most peculiar resident in Chapter 12, “The Daguerreotypist.” While the shattered Clifford seeks rest, dreaming of a childhood long lost, Phœbe finds herself drawn into the company of the enigmatic Holgrave—a man whose past is a kaleidoscope of identities, ranging from a traveling peddler of cologne-water to a public lecturer on Mesmerism. Though he speaks of a brigh...
Jan. 2, 2026
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES (CHAP 11) THE ARCHED WINDOW
In Chapter 11, “The Arched Window,” of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables, the secluded life of Clifford Pyncheon is shockingly interrupted by the vibrant movement of the outside world. From the gloom of the upper story, Clifford peers out, observing the modern age and the rush and roar of the human tide. While he finds childish delight in relics of the past, he grapples with terrifying impulses. This constant struggle between a desire for connection and a profound sense of estr...
Dec. 19, 2025
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES (CHAP 10) THE PYNCHEON GARDEN
We step into a deceptive pocket of peace in Chapter 10, “The Pyncheon Garden,” of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables. This green, secluded nook offers a fragile sanctuary for the delicate, shattered soul of Clifford Pyncheon, who finds momentary relief from his deep-seated torpor. As Clifford experiences these delights, his spirit momentarily revives, seeking the Beautiful that was his original nature. However, even here, in the shadow of the old house, the oppressive, mysteriou...
Dec. 5, 2025
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES (CHAP 9) CLIFFORD AND PHOEBE
In Chapter 9, “Clifford and Phœbe,” of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables, we witness the tragic battle waged by love against the inherited gloom of the Pyncheon house. Hepzibah, though endowed with a high and noble "heroism" by years of sorrow, finds her fierce, devoted affection utterly incapable of saving her brother, Clifford. Yet, a powerful, contrasting influence arrives in the form of Phœbe, a creature of "thoroughly wholesome" simplicity. Tune in to discover whether thi...
Nov. 21, 2025
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES (CHAP 8) THE PYNCHEON OF TO-DAY
We invite you back into the decaying world of The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne for our newest installment, Chapter 8, “The Pyncheon of to-day.” The episode focuses on the immediate, unsettling crisis caused by the arrival of the wealthy and ostensibly benevolent Judge Pyncheon. A chilling transformation forces young Phœbe to confront the terrifying suspicion: that the ruthless qualities, the moral diseases, and the inveteracy of purpose that defined the ancient ancestor, Colo...
Oct. 31, 2025
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES (CHAP7 )THE GUEST
Today we present Chapter 7, “The Guest,” of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables. The ancient Pyncheon House is gripped by frantic, trembling preparation as Hepzibah undertakes an heroic test of sentiment. Racking her nerves to create a beautiful meal from a musty, antique cookery book for an unnamed arrival. Hepzibah’s emotional state is terrifyingly volatile. As she meticulously positions the table to catch both shadow and sun for her visitor, the suspense is drawn out by the gu...
Oct. 24, 2025
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES (CHAP 6) MAULE'S WELL
Welcome back to 1001 Ghost, Chiller, and Lovecraft Stories! Today we go deeper into the atmospheric gloom and ancestral secrets of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s masterful Gothic “romance,” The House of the Seven Gables, featuring Chapter VI, “Maule’s Well”. In this unsettling episode, the bright, cheerful Phœbe ventures into the old Pyncheon garden—a place of rank decay and strange order—where she encounters the mysterious daguerreotypist, Holgrave, whose conversation reveals chilling insights into the ...
Oct. 3, 2025
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES (CHAP 5) MAY AND NOVEMBER
Welcome back to 1001 Ghost, Chiller, and Lovecraft Stories for Chapter V, “May and November,” of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables. The ancient, decaying Pyncheon mansion is suddenly illuminated by the arrival of young Phœbe, whose sunny disposition immediately begins to purify chambers long tenanted only by spiders, and mice, and rats, and ghosts. As the cheerful newcomer attempts to bring life back to dusty antiques, including a harpsichord that looks more like a coffin than ...
Sept. 19, 2025
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES (CHAP 4) A DAY BEHIND THE COUNTER
Step back into the chilling, atmospheric world of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables as we descend into Chapter IV, “A Day Behind the Counter,” presented in the thrilling style of 1001 Ghost, Chiller, and Lovecraft Stories. Hepzibah Pyncheon continues her agonizing trial, navigating the indignities and blunders of her newfound trade, when the formidable shadow of her affluent cousin, Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon, looms over the shop. This is more than a relative’s visit; it is a conf...
Sept. 12, 2025
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES (CHAP 3) THE FIRST CUSTOMER
Welcome back to 1001 Ghost, Chiller, and Lovecraft Stories! Join Gizelle Erickson this week for a spine-chilling journey into Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic, The House of the Seven Gables, as we delve into Chapter III: “The First Customer.” The reclusive Hepzibah Pyncheon faces her greatest challenge: opening a humble cent-shop to support herself. Experience her overwhelming anxiety as the shop bell heralds not just a customer, but the dramatic collision of her genteel past with the harsh realit...
Sept. 5, 2025
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES (CH 2) THE LITTLE SHOP WINDOW NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE
In Chapter 2 of The House of the Seven Gables, entitled, “The Little Shop-Window,” we delve deeper into the solitary world of Miss Hepzibah Pyncheon, as she reluctantly prepares to open her cent-shop, an act of sheer desperation after twenty-five years of seclusion. This chapter captures the profound inner conflict of Hepzibah, a woman of "old Gentility" forced by poverty to engage with the world she has long avoided. Her famous scowl, often mistaken for ill-temper by the townspeople, is in fact...
Aug. 29, 2025
FRIDAY NIGHT FRIGHT NEW! THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES (CHAP 1) THE OLD PYNCHEON FAMILY
WELCOME TO FRIDAY NIGHT FRIGHT AT 1001! Hello, fellow seekers of the strange and the spine-chilling! Are you ready to pull back the curtain on a truly ghastly classic tale? Today we delve into the haunting origins of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s "The House of the Seven Gables," where history itself is soaked in dread. Chapter 1 opens with a rusty wooden mansion in New England, its gables pointed like accusatory fingers towards a sky that has witnessed centuries of human folly and shadowed secrets. W...