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Експеримент доктора Гайдеґґера
Натаніель Готорн - видатний майстер американської прози ХІХ століття, що стояв біля витоків національної американської культури. Для романтичної поетики Н. Готорна характерні взаємопроникнення реальності й фантастики, загадкові збіги, символічна гра, використання моральних алегорій. Водночас його психологічні спостереження є дуже точними, а образи - надзвичайно пластичними. До збірки увійшли найвідоміші новели письменника.
182 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1837
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73 people want to read
About the author
Nathaniel Hawthorne
5,414 books3,546 followersNathaniel Hawthorne was a 19th century American novelist and short story writer. He is seen as a key figure in the development of American literature for his tales of the nation's colonial history.
Shortly after graduating from Bowdoin College, Hathorne changed his name to Hawthorne. Hawthorne anonymously published his first work, a novel titled Fanshawe, in 1828. In 1837, he published Twice-Told Tales and became engaged to painter and illustrator Sophia Peabody the next year. He worked at a Custom House and joined a Transcendentalist Utopian community, before marrying Peabody in 1842. The couple moved to The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts, later moving to Salem, the Berkshires, then to The Wayside in Concord. The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. A political appointment took Hawthorne and family to Europe before returning to The Wayside in 1860. Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864, leaving behind his wife and their three children.
Much of Hawthorne's writing centers around New England and many feature moral allegories with a Puritan inspiration. His work is considered part of the Romantic movement and includes novels, short stories, and a biography of his friend, the United States President Franklin Pierce.
Shortly after graduating from Bowdoin College, Hathorne changed his name to Hawthorne. Hawthorne anonymously published his first work, a novel titled Fanshawe, in 1828. In 1837, he published Twice-Told Tales and became engaged to painter and illustrator Sophia Peabody the next year. He worked at a Custom House and joined a Transcendentalist Utopian community, before marrying Peabody in 1842. The couple moved to The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts, later moving to Salem, the Berkshires, then to The Wayside in Concord. The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. A political appointment took Hawthorne and family to Europe before returning to The Wayside in 1860. Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864, leaving behind his wife and their three children.
Much of Hawthorne's writing centers around New England and many feature moral allegories with a Puritan inspiration. His work is considered part of the Romantic movement and includes novels, short stories, and a biography of his friend, the United States President Franklin Pierce.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 20, 2022
Me gusta mucho como escribe Hawthorne. Ha habido cuentos que me han gustado más que otros. Pero sobre todo las descripciones. Hawthrone sabe ambientar. Sin duda leeré más de este autor.
January 17, 2021
Hay muchos textos que abordan la temática de la Fuente de la Juventud. Por lo general, lo hacen desde la misma perspectiva: la búsqueda del agua o de aquel objeto que permita poseer eternamente este preciado don. Sin embargo, lo particular de este cuento de Hawthorne es que no se trata de una búsqueda. La Fuente ya fue hallada y el agua está a disposición de 5 personajes que, desde hace mucho tiempo, dejaron atrás su juventud.
Me ha gustado mucho la representación que el autor da al doctor Héidegger y la actitud de este frente a la decisión de tomar o no el agua. De igua forma, hay otros símbolos dentro del relato como el espejo, la rosa y la pintura que matizan la historia y le dan una mayor fuerza a los hechos que van ocurriendo dentro del estudio del doctor.
Definitivamente es un cuento de una ambientación muy bien lograda, aleccionador y el cual recomiendo leer.
Me ha gustado mucho la representación que el autor da al doctor Héidegger y la actitud de este frente a la decisión de tomar o no el agua. De igua forma, hay otros símbolos dentro del relato como el espejo, la rosa y la pintura que matizan la historia y le dan una mayor fuerza a los hechos que van ocurriendo dentro del estudio del doctor.
Definitivamente es un cuento de una ambientación muy bien lograda, aleccionador y el cual recomiendo leer.
March 3, 2018
It's interesting how they mention the word fantasy writing about these Hawthorne's stories: "interpretation of reality and fantasy ... characteristic for Hawthorne's dark romanticism". What can be more real than a person, tormented by their own guilt, or a person, guided by their superstitions? No fantasy here, sad reality of humans as they are. Dark, and romanticism, yes, for in the end I'm even sorry for theses characters for whom I probably wouldn't be if it wasn't this smooth language and image ffrom the author.
July 21, 2025
Doctor Heidegger’s Experiment by Nathaniel Hawthorne
This is a short story about the Fountain of Youth, its impact on old people, the foolishness we can be capable of and…humor. Doctor Heidegger has received water from the Spring of Youth and wants his four friends to enjoy the miracle powers of the water.
His friends are old; three gentlemen who had been all in love and lovers of the fourth friend a lady who made the three men hate each other in the past.
All the four friends are keen to join in the experiment, only doctor Heidegger doesn’t want to try the water. The first stage was a very convincing test on an old rose. Five centuries old, the rose is obviously dry and lifeless. But once dropped into the bowl with water from Florida, taken from the Miracle Spring, the ancient flower comes to life, becomes green and convinces the four friends to try the water.
They become younger, but are not satisfied and drink more water. Immediately, they start acting like teenagers and start fighting. The water bowl is overthrown and the entire magic potion is wasted on the ground.
The effect is gone; it seems the water is acting only for a short time on the age of those who drink it.
The three men and the old lady have found the solution: they will travel to Florida and drink from the Fountain of Youth morning, noon and midnight.
Instead of an approach which would have repelled me- that of vampire stories, Nathaniel Hawthorne turns this story into a humorous and ironic look at our hopes, vanity and limitless imagination.
This is a short story about the Fountain of Youth, its impact on old people, the foolishness we can be capable of and…humor. Doctor Heidegger has received water from the Spring of Youth and wants his four friends to enjoy the miracle powers of the water.
His friends are old; three gentlemen who had been all in love and lovers of the fourth friend a lady who made the three men hate each other in the past.
All the four friends are keen to join in the experiment, only doctor Heidegger doesn’t want to try the water. The first stage was a very convincing test on an old rose. Five centuries old, the rose is obviously dry and lifeless. But once dropped into the bowl with water from Florida, taken from the Miracle Spring, the ancient flower comes to life, becomes green and convinces the four friends to try the water.
They become younger, but are not satisfied and drink more water. Immediately, they start acting like teenagers and start fighting. The water bowl is overthrown and the entire magic potion is wasted on the ground.
The effect is gone; it seems the water is acting only for a short time on the age of those who drink it.
The three men and the old lady have found the solution: they will travel to Florida and drink from the Fountain of Youth morning, noon and midnight.
Instead of an approach which would have repelled me- that of vampire stories, Nathaniel Hawthorne turns this story into a humorous and ironic look at our hopes, vanity and limitless imagination.
November 15, 2024
Se podría decir que el autor enfoca cada relato como un experimento, en el que las personas son puestas a prueba en distintas situaciones, pero siempre llevadas al límite. Se desarrollan experimentaciones en las que el lector descubre hasta dónde es capaz de llegar una persona, ya sea por curiosidad, por ambición, por deseos, por nostalgia...
Todos los relatos tratan el tema del individualismo y, a la vez, de las consecuencias de verse arrastrado por la sociedad. Y lo hacen desde un planteamiento aparentemente sencillo, que encierra grandes reflexiones si se analiza.
Uno de los elementos mejor conseguidos es la ambientación, oscura y envolvente, donde los detalles más insignificantes son claves para entender la esencia del relato en cuestión.
Una recopilación de relatos muy interesante.
Todos los relatos tratan el tema del individualismo y, a la vez, de las consecuencias de verse arrastrado por la sociedad. Y lo hacen desde un planteamiento aparentemente sencillo, que encierra grandes reflexiones si se analiza.
Uno de los elementos mejor conseguidos es la ambientación, oscura y envolvente, donde los detalles más insignificantes son claves para entender la esencia del relato en cuestión.
Una recopilación de relatos muy interesante.
August 15, 2025
"Wakefield" y "El velo negro del ministro" son dos obras maestras de la literatura. "Y el experimento del doctor Heidegger" también aunque está más cerca del divertimento.
Leer estos relatos de Hawthorne ha sido como leer a Poe con 16 años. Una sorpresa enorme que, en este caso, ha renovado mi pasión por el arte de la literatura y en concreto por la lectura de relatos.
¡Absolutamente apasionantes!
Leer estos relatos de Hawthorne ha sido como leer a Poe con 16 años. Una sorpresa enorme que, en este caso, ha renovado mi pasión por el arte de la literatura y en concreto por la lectura de relatos.
¡Absolutamente apasionantes!
January 13, 2011
This is a collection of bleak short stories about Hawthorne’s Puritan ancestors. Much better than The Scarlet Letter, they explore human motivation--especially to do evil, religion and hypocrisy, and include a lot of historical references. The language is intriguing and at times lyrical, but these stories can definitely drag.
Like other short story collections I’ve read, I’m going to give short blurbs about each as I go. This is really more for me than others.
My Kinsman, Major Molineaux – Didn’t get it. Liked the interactions of the country boy and mean townspeople, but I just had no clue why the person was getting tarred and feathered at the end.
Roger Malvin’s Burial – Interesting. Sad. Self-expectations vs. desires = happiness in life?
The Gentle Boy – Very interesting and heartbreaking. Slow read. Quakers praised/dissed as well as Puritans. Sensitive, loving boy has sad connotations of Adam for me.
The Gray Champion – Revolutionary propaganda? Short and trite protector ghost story.
Young Goodman Brown - I thought this was interesting when I first read it in high school or college, and it was good now too. Brown's life is ruined, but whether the townspeople really are secretly devil worshippers or he was just deceived by the devil is the question. Short and to the point. Good character names and characterization of the devil.
Wakefield - This little gem was hilarious (speaking relatively of course). I would not have guessed this was Hawthorne from the tone and subject matter. A little, vain, run-of-the-mill English husband in London rents a house on the next street from his home, moves in without telling his wife, and doesn't return home for 20 years while spying on his wife. I'm not sure this has a deeper moral, but the story of this "crafty nincompoop" is much lighter and more glib than any of the other stories so far. Fun. (The note at the end of the book compares this story to Kafka. Hmmm.)
The Maypole of Merry Mount - The historical paragraph preceding this story is more confusing than some others. I'm left wondering how true to life his portrayal of the people of the settlement is. I was also confused if there was a point to the story. Hawthorne uses strong words to condemn the puritans as usual, but the ending implies that the captured couple happily adopts the lifestyle and enjoys it. An ambiguous morality tale?
The Minister's Black Veil - Very cool story. Liked this one. Bland, nice minister goes all creepy for life. I get the symbolism as he explains on his deathbed, but it's still not clear what motivates the timing of the veil. (Unless the Poe quote in the notes at the end mean a fleeting thought I had was correct. Precursor to Scarlet Letter?)
Dr. Heidegger's Experiment - It was good. I'm not sure why it's the title piece of this collection, but it's fine. Interesting contrast of circumstances and character. Good story on the constant theme of man's inherent immorality, but not about Puritans. It's also interesting that Hawthorne constantly criticizes the Puritans for their outlook on the evil of man, but shares that outlook.
The Birthmark - Sad, sad story. An obsessed, egotistical scientist falls in love and puts his beautiful young bride in front of his ambitions to understand and master the universe. Except he soon becomes convinced that her distinctive birthmark is symbolic of evil hidden in her soul. She submits to his will and allows him to remove it through science. The outcome and moral are very clear.
The Celestial Railroad - Another witty, funny story that I didn’t realize Hawthorne had in him. It is a parody connected to the famous The Pilgrim’s Progress. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrim%...
I haven’t read the book and hadn’t read the Wikipedia article until after the story, but it was no problem. I was familiar with Vanity Fair and the basics of many of the characters and could infer the rest easily enough. Before reading this story, read the article first if you have no idea what I just referred too. Anyway, the concept of the easy railroad to heaven, the characters’ names, the humorously naïve narration, and tone of the story were very enjoyable. This and Wakefield are easily my favorites so far.
Earth's Holocaust - Cynical parable of a giant bonfire at a site chosen by the "insurance companies" in order to burn up all the vanities of man. Short, enjoyable read.
The Artist of the Beautiful - Sad story about a guy who only dreams of making an ultimately beautiful mechanic butterfly. Not quite sure about the point; fits Hawthorne’s general tone.
Rappacini’s Daughter – Pretty cool story. Same themes, different presentation. The note at the back explains that the “French” titles from his translation are pretty funny.
Ethan Brand – Interesting. The man who found the “Unpardonable Sin” contrasted with the townspeople he left behind. I don’t think I quite “got” this one, but I liked it.
Overall, some of these stories were exactly what I was expecting from a Hawthorne short story collection, while others were funnier or about different topics than I expected. Worth the read, though not what most of my Goodreads friends are looking for.
Like other short story collections I’ve read, I’m going to give short blurbs about each as I go. This is really more for me than others.
My Kinsman, Major Molineaux – Didn’t get it. Liked the interactions of the country boy and mean townspeople, but I just had no clue why the person was getting tarred and feathered at the end.
Roger Malvin’s Burial – Interesting. Sad. Self-expectations vs. desires = happiness in life?
The Gentle Boy – Very interesting and heartbreaking. Slow read. Quakers praised/dissed as well as Puritans. Sensitive, loving boy has sad connotations of Adam for me.
The Gray Champion – Revolutionary propaganda? Short and trite protector ghost story.
Young Goodman Brown - I thought this was interesting when I first read it in high school or college, and it was good now too. Brown's life is ruined, but whether the townspeople really are secretly devil worshippers or he was just deceived by the devil is the question. Short and to the point. Good character names and characterization of the devil.
Wakefield - This little gem was hilarious (speaking relatively of course). I would not have guessed this was Hawthorne from the tone and subject matter. A little, vain, run-of-the-mill English husband in London rents a house on the next street from his home, moves in without telling his wife, and doesn't return home for 20 years while spying on his wife. I'm not sure this has a deeper moral, but the story of this "crafty nincompoop" is much lighter and more glib than any of the other stories so far. Fun. (The note at the end of the book compares this story to Kafka. Hmmm.)
The Maypole of Merry Mount - The historical paragraph preceding this story is more confusing than some others. I'm left wondering how true to life his portrayal of the people of the settlement is. I was also confused if there was a point to the story. Hawthorne uses strong words to condemn the puritans as usual, but the ending implies that the captured couple happily adopts the lifestyle and enjoys it. An ambiguous morality tale?
The Minister's Black Veil - Very cool story. Liked this one. Bland, nice minister goes all creepy for life. I get the symbolism as he explains on his deathbed, but it's still not clear what motivates the timing of the veil. (Unless the Poe quote in the notes at the end mean a fleeting thought I had was correct. Precursor to Scarlet Letter?)
Dr. Heidegger's Experiment - It was good. I'm not sure why it's the title piece of this collection, but it's fine. Interesting contrast of circumstances and character. Good story on the constant theme of man's inherent immorality, but not about Puritans. It's also interesting that Hawthorne constantly criticizes the Puritans for their outlook on the evil of man, but shares that outlook.
The Birthmark - Sad, sad story. An obsessed, egotistical scientist falls in love and puts his beautiful young bride in front of his ambitions to understand and master the universe. Except he soon becomes convinced that her distinctive birthmark is symbolic of evil hidden in her soul. She submits to his will and allows him to remove it through science. The outcome and moral are very clear.
The Celestial Railroad - Another witty, funny story that I didn’t realize Hawthorne had in him. It is a parody connected to the famous The Pilgrim’s Progress. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrim%...
I haven’t read the book and hadn’t read the Wikipedia article until after the story, but it was no problem. I was familiar with Vanity Fair and the basics of many of the characters and could infer the rest easily enough. Before reading this story, read the article first if you have no idea what I just referred too. Anyway, the concept of the easy railroad to heaven, the characters’ names, the humorously naïve narration, and tone of the story were very enjoyable. This and Wakefield are easily my favorites so far.
Earth's Holocaust - Cynical parable of a giant bonfire at a site chosen by the "insurance companies" in order to burn up all the vanities of man. Short, enjoyable read.
The Artist of the Beautiful - Sad story about a guy who only dreams of making an ultimately beautiful mechanic butterfly. Not quite sure about the point; fits Hawthorne’s general tone.
Rappacini’s Daughter – Pretty cool story. Same themes, different presentation. The note at the back explains that the “French” titles from his translation are pretty funny.
Ethan Brand – Interesting. The man who found the “Unpardonable Sin” contrasted with the townspeople he left behind. I don’t think I quite “got” this one, but I liked it.
Overall, some of these stories were exactly what I was expecting from a Hawthorne short story collection, while others were funnier or about different topics than I expected. Worth the read, though not what most of my Goodreads friends are looking for.
October 24, 2025
Es un auténtico placer leer a Hawthorne. No había leído nada de él hasta ahora, pero es una gozada disfrutar de su elegante y distinguida prosa. Escribe tan bien, que casi la historia es lo de menos. Es un auténtico maestro describiendo y creando un ambiente gótico y de romanticismo oscuro en el que te ves envuelto y atrapado por completo. Para mí ha sido todo un descubrimiento, sin duda leeré más de este autor.
October 12, 2009
Dove's summary and opinion:
Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Dr. Heidegger wants his four friends to test the youth fountain water. His friends laugh at his idea with craziness. His female friend, Widow Wycherley (who once was a beautiful woman) doesn’t think it could actually work. His other three friends (Mr. Gascoinge , Colonel Killigrew ,and Mr. Medbourne) laugh too. Dr Heidegger takes four glasses fills them with the magical water and ……….poof! Once they start getting younger again they start begging for more, by then Dr. Heidegger’s friends are dancing around the room enjoying their younger selves. But just then something happened they started turning back to their droopy old selves, wrinkles everywhere on their face. Dr. Heidegger just sits back and stares watching as his friends turn from fabulous to old and wrinkly.
I wouldn’t recommend this short story to a friend, it’s boring and has too many hard words to pronounce and sound out. Dr. Heidegger barely did anything; he could at least turn into a werewolf or something! Anyway, I didn’t like it because like I said it was……..BORING. I highly doubt any of my friends would like it. I sure didn’t like it……period.
Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Dr. Heidegger wants his four friends to test the youth fountain water. His friends laugh at his idea with craziness. His female friend, Widow Wycherley (who once was a beautiful woman) doesn’t think it could actually work. His other three friends (Mr. Gascoinge , Colonel Killigrew ,and Mr. Medbourne) laugh too. Dr Heidegger takes four glasses fills them with the magical water and ……….poof! Once they start getting younger again they start begging for more, by then Dr. Heidegger’s friends are dancing around the room enjoying their younger selves. But just then something happened they started turning back to their droopy old selves, wrinkles everywhere on their face. Dr. Heidegger just sits back and stares watching as his friends turn from fabulous to old and wrinkly.
I wouldn’t recommend this short story to a friend, it’s boring and has too many hard words to pronounce and sound out. Dr. Heidegger barely did anything; he could at least turn into a werewolf or something! Anyway, I didn’t like it because like I said it was……..BORING. I highly doubt any of my friends would like it. I sure didn’t like it……period.
May 16, 2014
Yo entraría un poco en duda la cantidad de páginas, lo cierto es que leí el breve cuento de Nathaniel Hawthorne no uno tan extenso…Pero bueno comenzare un mi pequeña reseña.
A pesar de ser breve me encanto la manera de relatar de este autor, hacer tanto de una historia que no supera las 30 páginas, definir personajes, la historia y que además no te pareciera aburrida en ningún momento, lo cierto es que si hubiera hecho una novela respecto a este cuento, le hubiera quedado espectacular.
Si bien la historia cuenta el experimento que hizo el doctor Heidegger a sus cuatro colegas, la historia muchas veces no se centra en los acontecimientos, sino en cómo afecta este experimento los cuatro, los cambios psicológicos y conductuales que estos presentan, la hacen una novela psicológica con dosis de suspenso, que nos dejaran con una moraleja bastante acertada…lo que muchas veces tanto deseas, poco es el tiempo que dura.
A pesar de ser breve me encanto la manera de relatar de este autor, hacer tanto de una historia que no supera las 30 páginas, definir personajes, la historia y que además no te pareciera aburrida en ningún momento, lo cierto es que si hubiera hecho una novela respecto a este cuento, le hubiera quedado espectacular.
Si bien la historia cuenta el experimento que hizo el doctor Heidegger a sus cuatro colegas, la historia muchas veces no se centra en los acontecimientos, sino en cómo afecta este experimento los cuatro, los cambios psicológicos y conductuales que estos presentan, la hacen una novela psicológica con dosis de suspenso, que nos dejaran con una moraleja bastante acertada…lo que muchas veces tanto deseas, poco es el tiempo que dura.
September 25, 2014
Oh Nathaniel, I tried to love this book, really I did. I so loved The Scarlet Letter and wanted to lose myself in more of your stories, but I just couldn't do it. I found the short stories in this book, well, boring. I gave up after page 119, having read 5 of the stories and knew I could endure no more. Put me in the stocks, flog me, but I shall read no more of this droll.
March 6, 2014
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A scientist claims to have discovered a Fountain of Youth. Nathanial Hawthorne's comically creepy yarn, read by Nicky Henson.
A scientist claims to have discovered a Fountain of Youth. Nathanial Hawthorne's comically creepy yarn, read by Nicky Henson.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2010
I honestly haven't read any Hawthorne besides The Scarlet Letter, but I enjoyed this short story. Another example of Gothic lit, though not as shocking or over the top as Poe.
December 9, 2010
I thought this story was well written and developed. Thought the story is not that pleasing.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews