Comparing Young Goodman Brown And The Minister's Black Veil
Veil vs. Goodman I
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short stories Young Goodman Brown and The Minister’s Black Veil there are many thematic connections between both protagonists and antagonists. Some of the protagonistic similarities in these tales embrace that both of the characters become complacent about the community that they have come to know and love. In the case of The Minister’s Black Veil Parson Hooper undergoes a transformation as an energetic preacher, revered by all, to a social pariah when he dawned the black veil. Doing so caused uneasy feelings in the community around him, which led to the building of contempt against him. Similarly, in the case of Young Goodman Brown his journey into the ‘forest’ left him world-weary of the place and peoples he grew to love from childhood including his father and grandfather. Which in turn caused Brown to have an exponentially …show more content…
increasing hypocritical view of ‘his’ townsfolk ultimately leading to his, self-induced, ostracism from the community. These parallels in story are underscored by an even more compelling idea in that the undisclosed persuasiveness and secrecy of sin and evil are thriving within society. This can be supported by an excerpt from Young Goodman Brown in which the “figure” addresses the gathering in the forest with:
“...evil is the nature of mankind.
Evil must be your only happiness.” (Norton)
In the case of the Minister Parson Hooper it seems that he decides to embody the evils that his is witness to. In doing so Hooper advents the black veil then wears it with a ‘sad smile’ as he goes about a ministers duties. Often regarded …show more content…
as:
“…irreproachable in outward act, yet shrouded in dismal suspicious; kind and loving, though unloved and dimly feared; a man apart from men, shunned in their health and joy, but ever summon to their aid in mortal anguish.” (Norton)
Adversely in the case of Goodman Brown his experiences led to the realizing of the religious hypocrisy that environs him, and after the “night of that fearful dream” Brown becomes a dark and gloomy man, who saw nothing but blasphemy around him.
As far as the reader needing to ‘figure out’ what happened in the ‘forest’ as well as in ‘Hooper’s past’ to cause these permanent transformations in their characters it is somewhat relevant. The relevancy is in that these events both led to their self-discovery of the religious status of the world of their works. Although this application of their journeys has some importance I believe that the outcome of these events is more important in that they both ultimately threw away there ‘old’ lives for a life of scrutiny, anguish, and hatred because of the counterfeit society surrounding them. Not unlike Early-American struggles for identity in an establishing and uncertain world?
Veil vs. Goodman II
Concerning the “self-knowledge” attained by both characters I believe that both Brown and Hooper became enlightened to their state of affairs in the world around them as well as illumination on their own-selves.
All be it that the outcomes were very different. Hooper learned of the wickedness of society and chose to express it in his physical appearance, the veil. When the citizens gazed upon him with contentious eyes it was the malcontent which stirred in their own bodies. Brown discarded social connections and saw the world as hypocritical usurpers. Also in Brown’s case it could be as a simile to the fall of Adam and Eve in the Eternal Garden in which Eve (Faith) was tempted by the figure in the woods. It could have possibly been an attempt to save Brown, if it really
happened.
I reason that both characters come to know more about the “human condition” after the events that transpired in their ‘lives’. Perhaps a zealous religious drive could be behind this newfound understanding of the world, but that is the intent of stories like these. To get us to think critically and objectively about all aspects of our live and to not be blind to the ways of the world.
Works Cited
Baym, Nina; Robert S. Levine. BIBLIOGRAPHY The Norton Anthology of American Literature: Volume B. New York. W.W. Norton & Company. 2012. Print.
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short stories Young Goodman Brown and The Minister’s Black Veil there are many thematic connections between both protagonists and antagonists. Some of the protagonistic similarities in these tales embrace that both of the characters become complacent about the community that they have come to know and love. In the case of The Minister’s Black Veil Parson Hooper undergoes a transformation as an energetic preacher, revered by all, to a social pariah when he dawned the black veil. Doing so caused uneasy feelings in the community around him, which led to the building of contempt against him. Similarly, in the case of Young Goodman Brown his journey into the ‘forest’ left him world-weary of the place and peoples he grew to love from childhood including his father and grandfather. Which in turn caused Brown to have an exponentially …show more content…
increasing hypocritical view of ‘his’ townsfolk ultimately leading to his, self-induced, ostracism from the community. These parallels in story are underscored by an even more compelling idea in that the undisclosed persuasiveness and secrecy of sin and evil are thriving within society. This can be supported by an excerpt from Young Goodman Brown in which the “figure” addresses the gathering in the forest with:
“...evil is the nature of mankind.
Evil must be your only happiness.” (Norton)
In the case of the Minister Parson Hooper it seems that he decides to embody the evils that his is witness to. In doing so Hooper advents the black veil then wears it with a ‘sad smile’ as he goes about a ministers duties. Often regarded …show more content…
as:
“…irreproachable in outward act, yet shrouded in dismal suspicious; kind and loving, though unloved and dimly feared; a man apart from men, shunned in their health and joy, but ever summon to their aid in mortal anguish.” (Norton)
Adversely in the case of Goodman Brown his experiences led to the realizing of the religious hypocrisy that environs him, and after the “night of that fearful dream” Brown becomes a dark and gloomy man, who saw nothing but blasphemy around him.
As far as the reader needing to ‘figure out’ what happened in the ‘forest’ as well as in ‘Hooper’s past’ to cause these permanent transformations in their characters it is somewhat relevant. The relevancy is in that these events both led to their self-discovery of the religious status of the world of their works. Although this application of their journeys has some importance I believe that the outcome of these events is more important in that they both ultimately threw away there ‘old’ lives for a life of scrutiny, anguish, and hatred because of the counterfeit society surrounding them. Not unlike Early-American struggles for identity in an establishing and uncertain world?
Veil vs. Goodman II
Concerning the “self-knowledge” attained by both characters I believe that both Brown and Hooper became enlightened to their state of affairs in the world around them as well as illumination on their own-selves.
All be it that the outcomes were very different. Hooper learned of the wickedness of society and chose to express it in his physical appearance, the veil. When the citizens gazed upon him with contentious eyes it was the malcontent which stirred in their own bodies. Brown discarded social connections and saw the world as hypocritical usurpers. Also in Brown’s case it could be as a simile to the fall of Adam and Eve in the Eternal Garden in which Eve (Faith) was tempted by the figure in the woods. It could have possibly been an attempt to save Brown, if it really
happened.
I reason that both characters come to know more about the “human condition” after the events that transpired in their ‘lives’. Perhaps a zealous religious drive could be behind this newfound understanding of the world, but that is the intent of stories like these. To get us to think critically and objectively about all aspects of our live and to not be blind to the ways of the world.
Works Cited
Baym, Nina; Robert S. Levine. BIBLIOGRAPHY The Norton Anthology of American Literature: Volume B. New York. W.W. Norton & Company. 2012. Print.