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

in sentencing innocent people to death” (“Nathaniel Hawthorne 1804-1864”). Consequently, he resented his family lineage and tried to distance himself from it, but still believed that all people are sinners. As a result, his works possess unique themes and plot development which contribute to why many of his pieces are praised across the globe. Today, Hawthorne is a respected American author for being primarily commemorated for his distinguishable family history and philosophies which are conveyed through the symbolic plots, settings, and characters in various of his short stories, such as: “The Minister’s Black Veil” and “Young Goodman Brown.”
The characters in “The Minister’s Black Veil” and “Young Goodman Brown” exempt Hawthorne’s belief of the innate evil in everyone’s soul which was inspired by the Puritan’s ideology that every person is a sinner.

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

Veil").
The black veil covering Hooper’s face symbolizes his secrets and sins that are hidden to the world except for God. This theme is prevalent throughout the story as the other characters begin to deduct that the veil represents “the symbol of a fearful secret between him and them;” also when Hooper later explains to his wife that it must be worn in “‘both light and darkness, in solitude and before the gaze of multitudes, and as with strangers’” ("The Minister's Black Veil"). Although Hooper is the only one appearing to wear a cloak, in reality, everyone wears a disguise to endlessly hide their faults and flaws from everybody else. As a result, Hooper believes that “‘There is an hour to come… when all of us shall cast aside our veils’” which is believed to be the point when they reach heaven ("The Minister's Black Veil"). Therefore, the people with exposed faces in “The Minister’s Black Veil” are the ones truly wearing a mask.
A similar message is present in “Young Goodman Brown” where the primary theme exemplifies the tyranny of sin and that no one is unaffected.

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

and he lost his faith in God (“Young Goodman Brown”). As a result of his acknowledgement that Faith has become a pawn of the devil, Brown becomes “A stern, sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man” and “his dying hour was gloom” (“Young Goodman Brown”).
Goodman Brown relates to the philosophy that evil is apparent in everyone, because
“As the story opens, he is innocent, young, and sheltered” and “He knows only good” (Lawson). However, as the story progresses, “he abruptly converts to a belief that only evil exists” which causes him to become “blind to goodness… a cold observer in life… [and] simpleminded” (Lawson). Therefore, even the unlikely will eventually fall helplessly to the reign of evil and sin. Moreover, the appearance of the “lady of the Governor… wives of honored husbands, widows... ancient maidens… Deacon Gookin… [and] Faith” at the satanic congregation suggests that “evil is the sole and essential nature of humankind” (Lawson). This demonstrates that absolutely everyone is controlled by sin regardless of religious status and faith.
The settings in “The Minister’s Black Veil” and “Young Goodman Brown” communicate
the hideous reputation of Hawthorne’s Puritan past. For example, “The Minister’s Black Veil” takes place in a 18th-century Puritan town of Massachusetts; a place full of ridicule and corrupted ideology of religious devotion. Hence, Mr. Hooper receives a magnitude of social judgement of his black veil which unfortunately ends in him as outcast. Furthermore, “Young Goodman Brown” occurs in the late 17th-century of Salem, Massachusetts which is near the event of the witch trials. Although “Salem is the dwelling place of family and community, and religion and faith,” it’s also a place where one can “wander from the straight and narrow path” (Lawson). This refers to the Salem witch trials, when the falsely accused “witches” affiliated themselves with a multitude of other “witches” to be saved from persecution.
The type of characters in both short stories further exhibit that no one can escape the clutches of evil, such as, Reverend Mr. Hooper and Goodman Brown. Hooper represents the people that possess a highly-valued status, however, he does not hesitate to admit that he is a sinner. In contrast, Brown only represents the everyday man, but he still has religious similarities that they are both transgressors. The same pattern is present in the secondary characters of “Young Goodman Brown” when people of all backgrounds appear worshipping Satan. Also, the Traveller mentions that he has worked with Brown’s grandfather which illustrates that sin is common even in history. This relates to Hawthorne’s family background, because his great-great-grandfather committed many errors while unjustly persecuting innocent people during the trials.
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil” and “Young Goodman Brown” are idealistic demonstrations that parallel his notorious family history and reflect his distinctive writing style. The plots, settings, and characters of these short stories symbolize the Puritan belief that all people are sinners. This theme is prevalent in these works, because he was “a genius for perceiving the most ‘disagreeable’ secrets in humankind’s soul and presenting them in clever extended tropes and figures” (Day). This reinforces the reason why Hawthorne is known as one of the greatest “brooding” romantics in history. Most of all, it is unforgettable the way he “shaped in fiction a superb body of moral philosophy that is unequaled in the dark stream of American literature” (Day).