Nathaniel Hawthorne was one of the greatest American writers of the nineteenth century. Hawthorne's writing is unique as it often featured moral struggles among the Puritans in and around New England. Hawthorne's books became some of the most famous works of dark romanticism and his novel The Scarlet Letter is considered a classic in American literature. Mosses from an Old Manse is a short story collection that was published in 1846. Many of the stories focus on the negative aspects of human nature. Notable short stories in this collection include Young Goodman Brown, The Birth-Mark, and Rappaccini's Daughter.