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Nathaniel Hawthorne comparison
Nathaniel Hawthorne comparison
Nathaniel Hawthorne literary analysis
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“The Minister’s Black Veil” and “Young Goodman Brown” have many similarities. Both stories have similar writing styles, settings, and themes. Since both these stories were written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, they have many similarities.
Hawthorne’s writing style in both of these stories are extremely similar. He used many words in the Puritan language. An example of this would be the word, “Prithee” which is mentioned in both stories. He also had very extended and vivid descriptions of certain scenes. One example of an extended, vivid description in “Young Goodman Brown” is when Nathaniel Hawthorne describes the scene around Goodman Brown as he hears horses galloping. Hawthorne goes into great detail about all that Young Goodman Brown
Both of these stories revolve around a lot of symbolism. These stories, since they really don't make a lot of sense on their own, force the reader to look deeper in an attempt to understand the ideas that Hawthorne tries to get across.
The puritan roots that ran in the northeastern part of the country was a way that Hawthorne used to show his underlying messages in many of his works. However, as opposed to the previous works that the country produced, Hawthorne’s used the puritan religion as a means to an end, not as an example or testimony of how to live. A keen example of this is in Hawthorne’s 1835 work, “Young Goodman Brown.” The symbolism is evident as first simply from the title. Hawthorne is attempting to write a story about a young, good man, creating this persona by creating the image of a devout person, first hinting at this through his location, Salem (Hawthorne 87). Salem is the location of the witch trials that Hawthorne’s ancestors were a part of, and from this location Hawthorne is showing that Brown is a puritan, but also that he is a part of a society that can lose sight of their shortcomings. This is something that would not be evident in earlier American writings. Writing about the shortcomings of devout people was not widely recognized as religion to these people was life
Even though the two Gothic stories have different meanings overall, there are still some arguable similarities. Some could say that the mood is somewhat alike, while others could say the setting of both stories are near the same. In “Young Goodman Brown,” Hawthorne sets a mood by describing the setting saying, “He had taken a dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest…”(Hawthorne, 1). The mood is near the same in “The Yellow Wallpaper” where the main character lives in an old,
Irving and Hawthorne’s stories are quite similar because of the sinisterness the two share. However, Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” is far better written because it exploits the use of symbolism, character development and theme. Irving fails to use those elements to their full potential by not incorporating or weakly using them. Hawthorne’s exploitation gives the reader a better read and a far superior story.
Sins are important for people to live by because it was told in the Bible that sins are shameful and frowned upon but can be forgiven from doing right by God. As said in the Bible, Matthew 6:14 says “for if you forgive other people, when they sin against you, your heavenly father will also forgive you.” This verse relates to two stories which are “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Poe and “The Minister in the Black Veil” by Hawthorn. In the story “The Tell-Tale Heart”, there is a man who was obsessed with this one old man’s eye, to the point where he would come in every night to observe the eye. On the eighth night as the old man wakes up due to curiosity, the old man wakes up to his death of being killed by the man that did not like him for his eye.
Hawthorne and Poe showcase a theme of darkness but differ in their approach to the setting. In Young Goodman Brown, the story primarily
Hawthorne’s stories “Young Goodman Brown” and “Rapaccini’s Daughter” share common themes amongst the characters throughout the two stories. In “Young Goodman Brown,” Brown meets an old man, which turns out to be the devil. In a similar way, Giovanni in ‘Rapaccini’s Daughter” finds out that Rapaccini is a very dangerous man and that the garden that he owns is poisonous. I would argue that Brown and Giovanni are similar characters because they both face a Devil like figure and come across a major conflict with good and evil. In “Young Goodman Brown” Brown faces the decision of whether to join in the sinful rituals and join the Devil after seeing his own wife join. Brown is a good man and is a good Christian but still faces a tough decision as
The Minister’s Black Veil, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1836, is a parable about a minister, Mr. Hooper, who constantly wears a mysterious black veil over his face. The people in the town of Milford, are perplexed by the minister’s veil and cannot figure out why he insists on wearing it all of the time. The veil tends to create a dark atmosphere where ever the minister goes, and the minister cannot even stand to look at his own reflection. In Nathaniel Hawthorne 's literary work, The Minister 's Black Veil, the ambiance of the veil, separation from happiness that it creates, and the permanency of the black veil symbolize sin in people’s lives.
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, “The Minister’s Black Veil,” Hawthorne portrayed a Puritan minister as a man not naïve enough to believe that he could not escape sin or secret sin. Good Mr. Hooper, as he was called, spent his entire adult life trying to prove a point that was only figured out in the end. Throughout the story good Mr. Hooper was treated as though he was a threat revealing to the people that they too, hid behind masks. Hawthorne tried to get the point across that no person could escape secret sin and that all people hid behind masks.
"The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a short story that was first published in the 1836 edition of the Token and Atlantic Souvenir and reappeared over time in Twice-Told Tales, a collection of short stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The short story narrates the events following Reverend Mr. Hooper's decision to begin wearing a black veil that obscures his full face, except for his mouth and chin. Mr. Hooper simply arrives one day at the meeting house wearing the semi-transparent black veil and refuses from then on to take it of, leading to the loss of his fiancée and isolation form the world. He is even buried in the black veil. Yet, what is important to note are Mr. Hooper's last words to those surrounding his deathbed. He tells them namely in anger that all of them wear black veils: “I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!”. This declaration underlines the meanings of the veil in the story as symbolic of sin, darkness, and the duality within human nature. Thus, "The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a literary work of art that demonstrates the author's use of allegory to highlight the psychological angle of the story and characters.
In 'Young Goodman Brown,'; Hawthorne makes the reader believe that Goodman Brown has learned that truth about the world and how evil it really is. In the story the accounts of Goodman Brown let you believe that he has truly seen the evil in the world and knows what lurks behind everybody masks. He makes you realize that even though the person may look holy and religious that evilness is all around us and most people will never ever find out the truth. The character Young Goodman Brown written by Nathaniel Hawthorne finds many issues of evil concerning the town's people in which he lives, about himself, and the reality behind the evil.
Sculley Bradley, Richmond Croom Beatty and E. Hudson Long in “The Social Criticism of a Public Man” state: “Beyond his remarkable sense of the past, which gives a genuine ring to the historical reconstructions, beyond his precise and simple style, which is in the great tradition of familiar narrative, the principal appeal of his work is in the quality of its allegory” (49). The style found in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” contains the features quoted in the above passage, as well as many others – which will be discussed in this essay.
“Young Goodman Brown”: Internal Motives and Thoughts Why is it such an old story like “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne can make his readers think so deeply about the world they perceive, even in modern day? The story was created in 1835, yet how does it relate so well with today's society? Is it Brown’s common name that gives the reader the ability to connect so well? Could it be that Brown knows, even through his deep and meaningful experiences, that there's more than what he sees on the surface? Is it possible that’s the entire reason for his forbidden journey?
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story of Young Goodman Brown is a reflection of the Puritan faith as well as man’s conflict between good and evil. This analysis will emphasize on the theme of Young Goodman Brown as well Hawthorne’s usage of symbolism and allegories throughout the story.
Puritanism is often reflected in Hawthorne’s work. Puritans moved to New England and created a strong presence. Hawthorne was raised in Salem Massachusetts and his grandfather was a judge in the Salem witch trial. Puritanism, was a very important part of his background, which are often questioned in his works; many of which his stories take place in a Puritan setting. Most of the stories were good versus evil in man. In “Young Goodman Brown” Brown sees the most valued and respected members of his religious community associating with the devil. He is shocked to see the people he had the greatest faith in, Faith and his catechism teacher at an evil gathering. This leads him to still question everyone’s faith after the fact. In “Young Goodman Brown”, Hawthorne criticizes Puritan beliefs, suggesting that they are more wicked that they are godly. His works show that he has faith but its not always as strong and is easily questioned by the actions of others and the surrounding around