Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
My Kinsman, Major Molineux
short story by Hawthorne
My Kinsman, Major Molineux, short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, first published in 1832 in The Token, an annual Christmas gift book. The story was later collected in The Snow-Image, and Other Twice-Told Tales (1851).
The story is set in New England before the American Revolution. Young Robin Molineux seeks out his kinsman, a major in the British army, with the hope of gaining access to power. He finds, however, that his kinsman is scorned, and he is advised to make his own way in the world.
On one level its theme is the loss of innocence. On a second level the story may be interpreted as a political allegory.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.
Discover how ordinary objects work, and expand your understanding of the familiar.
" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">
By clicking "Sign Up", you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.