Gothic Literature Research Paper
Gothic Literature Essay There are many different types of gothic writers and their ideas of what goes on in the human mind. Edgar Allen Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne are just two examples. In class we have read “The Pit in the Pendulum” by Edgar Allen Poe, which is a horror and gothic story. We have also read “The Minister's Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, which is also a horror and gothic story. Both of these authors have a good understanding of what goes on behind the locked doors of the human mind. They both use their life experiences and thoughts on gothic elements to help show us how our own mind works. Edgar Allen Poe is an extremely great writer, and especially when it comes to gothic writings and describing how the human mind works.
…show more content…
He uses the same imagery as Poe but especially romantic interest, hidden truth, and irrational depths of human mind. He has become this kind of writer and learned about the ways the mind works in a gothic way because of his past. Hawthorne was very unhappy and withdrawn as a child. Hawthorne's fiction is triggered by an awareness of guilt that goes alongside a puritan conscience. The source of Hawthorne’s darkness is within Hawthorne's ancestors. Nathaniel disagreed with puritan beliefs and having his family members all be involved with puritan beliefs did not help. William Hawthorne was a puritan judge who persecuted quakers. This really affected Nathaniel because he was the opposite. His family being they way they are made Hawthorne feel almost unwanted. This caused him to be the writer he ended up being. One of his gothic writings that I know pretty well is, “The Minister's Black Veil”. Hawthorne uses amazing hidden truth throughout the story. With the black veil he is covering up a sin. Hiding the truth from himself and the people around him. Especially him being a minister he is the man everyone looks (looked) up to. For example, “The black veil, though it covers only our pastor’s face, throws its influence over his whole person, and makes him ghostlike from head to foot.” (Hawthorne 307). The people are confused and not understanding with Mr. Hooper wearing the black veil. They are talking and whispering about him making up assumptions on why he could be possibly wearing the veil. Just like on page 307, “Some gathered in little circles, huddled closely together, with their mouths all whispering in the center; some went homeward alone, wrapped in silent meditation; some talked loudly, and profaned the Sabbath day with ostentatious laughter” (Hawthorne 307). Hawthorne had made up what Mr. Hooper thought of it all and throughout the
He uses the same imagery as Poe but especially romantic interest, hidden truth, and irrational depths of human mind. He has become this kind of writer and learned about the ways the mind works in a gothic way because of his past. Hawthorne was very unhappy and withdrawn as a child. Hawthorne's fiction is triggered by an awareness of guilt that goes alongside a puritan conscience. The source of Hawthorne’s darkness is within Hawthorne's ancestors. Nathaniel disagreed with puritan beliefs and having his family members all be involved with puritan beliefs did not help. William Hawthorne was a puritan judge who persecuted quakers. This really affected Nathaniel because he was the opposite. His family being they way they are made Hawthorne feel almost unwanted. This caused him to be the writer he ended up being. One of his gothic writings that I know pretty well is, “The Minister's Black Veil”. Hawthorne uses amazing hidden truth throughout the story. With the black veil he is covering up a sin. Hiding the truth from himself and the people around him. Especially him being a minister he is the man everyone looks (looked) up to. For example, “The black veil, though it covers only our pastor’s face, throws its influence over his whole person, and makes him ghostlike from head to foot.” (Hawthorne 307). The people are confused and not understanding with Mr. Hooper wearing the black veil. They are talking and whispering about him making up assumptions on why he could be possibly wearing the veil. Just like on page 307, “Some gathered in little circles, huddled closely together, with their mouths all whispering in the center; some went homeward alone, wrapped in silent meditation; some talked loudly, and profaned the Sabbath day with ostentatious laughter” (Hawthorne 307). Hawthorne had made up what Mr. Hooper thought of it all and throughout the