Thursday, 21 October: Hawthorne, “Young Goodman Brown,” 2186-2195.

Reader: Laura Jones  

Objective2. To study the movement of "Romanticism," the narrative genre of "romance," and the related styles of the "gothic" and "the sublime."

It is obvious that Hawthorne uses the gothic throughout this story. There are many examples that can be used, but here are some examples that I have chosen:

… Goodman Brown felt himself justified in making more haste on his present evil purpose. He had taken a dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest, which barely stood aside to let the narrow path creep through… It was all as lonely as could be…with lonely footsteps he may yet be passing through an unseen multitude.

At one extremity of an open space, hemmed in by the dark wall of the forest, arose a rock, bearing some rude, natural resemblance either to an altar or a pulpit, and surrounded by four blazing pines… like candles at an evening meeting. The mass…blazing high into the night… illuminating the whole field…As the red light arose …a numerous congregation alternately shone forth, then disappeared in shadow, and again grew, as it were, out of the darkness, peopling the heart of the solitary woods at once.

The use of colors in the second passage reminded me of Faith’s pink ribbon. At first, I was unsure of what Hawthorne meant by using the color pink, but after reading the about reds in the flame and about “the whole earth one stain of guilt, one mighty blood spot”, I began to realize that Hawthorne wanted to point out that everyone is guilty of sin, even Faith.

Where else does Hawthorne use the gothic or where else do we see Hawthorne use red hues?

The reality of sin plays an important part of the story. The purpose of Young Goodman Brown’s journey through the forest is so that he might see sin in the world. He knew that he struggled with sin, but never imagined that the others in his life did. He is first given a taste of this when the old man tells him,

I helped your grandfather, the constable, when he lashed the Quaker woman so smartly through the streets of Salem; and it was I that brought your father a pitch-pine knot, kindled at my own hearth, to set fire to an Indian village, in King Philip's war. They were my good friends, both; and many a pleasant walk have we had along this path, and returned merrily after midnight. I would fain be friends with you for their sake."

When he sees others whom he held in high esteem going to this meeting in the woods, he is completely taken back; especially when he sees his wife, whom he describes as his Love and as an “angel on earth”.  These people taught him catechisms and were leaders in his church. He seems to be the only one to resist the devil’s temptations. The next day, he realizes that people act as if nothing has happened.

Why do you think that he is unable to except the people of his village after his meeting in the woods?

What might Hawthorne be saying about sin?

Do you think that Young Goodman Brown was truly able to resist the devil?