Comparing Minister's Black Veil And Young Goodman Brown

Nathaniel Hawthorne was one of the first American writers to pioneer the unprecedented and unforeseen gothic genre which resulted in the exposure of darker themes across America in the 19th century. This new genre sprouted the “brooding” romantics who revolved around the human’s capacity for evil as a main theme of their works. Being one of the “brooding” romantics, Hawthorne followed the Puritans’ belief that everyone is a sinner as a result of being a descendent of the Puritans associated with the infamous Salem witchcraft trials. Not only was he related to the despicable Puritans, but also, he had to live with the guilt that his dishonorable great-great grandfather, Judge Hathorne, was “the only one who refused to apologize for his role

For example, the main character in “The Minister’s Black Veil,” Mr. Hooper, is the town’s parson who one day, wore a black veil “swathed about his forehead, and hanging down his face, so low as to be shaken by his breath” ("The Minister's Black Veil"). His common friends and neighbors expressed ghastly from his sudden change in appearance such as: an old woman muttered, “he has changed himself into something awful,” and “‘our parson has gone mad’ cried Goodman Gray” ("The Minister's Black Veil"). Additionally, many people were mystified and offended by his persistent presence with the black veil, even at a funeral “when Mr. Hooper came, the first thing that [the guests’] eyes rested on was the same horrible black veil, which added deeper gloom to the funeral” ("The Minister's Black Veil"). Eventually, Hooper became an outcast after refusing to remove the veil for anyone, even his wife, and his life ended alone as “a veiled corpse” ("The Minister's Black

For instance, in the beginning of the story, Goodman Brown must leave his newly wed wife, Faith, at sunset for an appointment in the nearby forest. Since his wife worries that he would not return safely, he comforts her and “vows to be true to Faith and to their religious faith” (Lawson). Once Brown arrives at the forest, he is acquainted with a “figure of a man, with grave and decent attire, seated at the foot of an old tree” (“Young Goodman Brown”). This man is eerily “bearing a considerable resemblance to him” which equates that “they might have been taken for father and son” (“Young Goodman Brown”). Though the stranger appears harmless, little did Brown know, that he will actually take a journey with the devil. This is an example that evil and sin can be in many forms and deceptions. As Brown continues on his excursion through the woods, he learns that religious idols with virtuous reputations in the village have done sinful deeds. This makes Brown’s faith in God waver. Sequently, Brown becomes frantic and questions if Faith could also be a victim of this “pious and ungodly” distortion until he sees “something [fluttering] lightly down through the air… a pink ribbon” (“Young Goodman Brown”). As evidence that his worst thought imaginable came true, he cried, “My Faith is gone!” meaning he lost his beloved and innocent wife to Satan