Hawthorne

A detailed Summary of Hawthorne

The Puritans were a group of people who came over from England to the "new world" for religious freedom. They believed that the Anglican Church of was not strict enough. They first attempted religious freedom in Holland, but they were not happy there. They were not happy in Holland, so they saved their money and came to America.

Puritans believed that the purpose of life was to get to heaven. Their time here was a passage way to heaven or hell. Although they believed that their lives were predestined, they tried to live their lives without sin in hopes that they would go to heaven, not hell. They thought that God had already chosen who would be going to heaven and who would be going to hell as far back as when he created the world.

William Bradford encapsulates Puritan ideas in his writing. We see this in his story set on the Mayflower. There was a young man on the boat. He was putting down the poor on the ship because they were seasick on the way over. Bradford says, "and did not let to tell them that he hoped to cast half of them overboard before they came to their journey's end, and to make merry with

Not too far after that, one of the other townspeople states "Our parson has gone mad" (Hawthorne 2196). This man is sinning by passing judgment on the minister. Because he does not understand or know the reasoning of the veil, he is unsure of the minister now. Mr. Hooper, the minister, greets his parishioners on the meeting-house steps in his normal way. He nods at them kindly, but they are in such awe of the veil, they do not even return the nod. The veil has become a separation between them and this man of God. And although his parishioners had once respected him, he is now the topic of their uneasiness towards them.

His journey goes on further to a clearing, where a ceremony is taking place. Here the voices of some of the townspeople can be heard. He sees his minister and a Deacon and they are partaking in the ceremony. He sees what he thinks is his wife. A blessing is up onto them, "now are ye undeceived! Evil is the nature of mankind. Evil must be your only happiness. Welcome, again, my children, to the communion of your race!" (Hawthorne 2194). This man, perhaps the devil is telling the people they have evil in them and that there only way to survive is to possess it in themselves.

Hawthorne gives a very accurate picture of Puritanism. I feel his greatest depiction is in "The Ministers Black Veil" rather than "Young Goodman Brown". But we do see a great Puritan influence in both of his writings. In both cases though, it reminds us that we are so ready to try and be sinless, but we are just really ignoring the sin we have by covering it up.

Further in the passage, "But it pleased God before they came half seas over, to smite this young man with a grievous disease, of which he died in a desperate manner, and so was himself the first that was thrown overboard..." (Bradford 314). The young man on the ship has threatened the "chosen people" and in turn God protects them by striking the young man sick and having him being the first to be cast off the boat.

"The Ministers Black Veil" takes place in Puritan times in New England. As the people of the town are going to attend services on the Sabbath day, the minister enters the meeting hall with a black veil on his face. The Puritan people are quick to notice things out of the ordinary and aquainted them with evil and sin.

Not only has Mr. Hooper wearing the black veil separated him from his parishioners, it has separated him from Elizabeth. We see this in a conversation between Mr. Hooper and her. "Do not desert me, though this veil must be between us here on earth. Be mine, and hereafter

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Approximate Word count = 1812
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History