LITR 5535: American
Romanticism
Student Presentation on Reading Selections, fall 2003
Reader: April Davis
Recorder: Sherry Evard
LITR 5535 Presentation
October 6, 2003
Hawthorne – United in Sin
In the stories “The Young Goodman Brown”, “The Maypole at
Merry-mount”, and “The Minister’s Black Veil” Hawthorne uses symbols to
imply that people are unified in sin and yet divided by the knowledge of
it. I am going to examine the stories from the perspective of objective 1b by
examining the romantic ideology as it pertains to self versus other and Garden
of Eden symbolism.
Bedford page 470 – “a symbol is something that, although it is
of interest in its own right, stands for or suggests something larger and more
complex – often an idea or range or interrelated ideas, attitudes and
practices”.
In each of the stories Hawthorne’s symbolism lends itself to a Garden
of Eden fall and post-fall type of interpretation. In other words, The Garden of
Eden symbolizes pre-fall ignorance of sin. The fall came at the moment that Adam
and Eve ate the apple and gained knowledge of sin and good and evil.
People of post-fall knowledge recognize sin in themselves and others.
In Young Goodman Brown, Brown begins his journey by leaving the arms of
“Faith” his wife, and setting out to join the Devil for who knows what
purpose.
1st symbol – staff/serpent p. 611 bottom of 1st major paragraph
The staff represents the serpent, the tempter
in the Garden of Eden. Because Goodman Brown has not yet abandoned faith he
refuses to use or touch the temptation offered by the devil.
2nd symbol – “Faith”/faith p. 615 4th paragraph
In Brown’s post-fall moment – after he
recognizes the sin in others- he not only loses his faith in mankind but feels
as though he has lost his wife “Faith” as well. It is in this moment that he
accepts the temptation of the serpent on p. 615 immediately after the last
quote.
3rd symbol – The town is united in their
satanic worship on p.616 bottom of 3rd large paragraph. The fact that
the holy and reputable as well as the ill famed have come together in the forest
represents how people are united in secret sin. This can also be a representation of “the fall”
biblically speaking, because it is the moment that Goodman Brown loses his
ignorance of the fact that all humans sin.
4th symbol – As a result of Brown’s
experience, he cannot help but see the sin and hypocrisy in others- bottom of
page 618. This represents post-fall knowledge of sin – at least in others –
in which the person with the knowledge loses hope and faith in mankind. This
leads to a division among sinners as a sinner either seeks to distance himself
from mankind (as Goodman Brown does) or seeks to point the finger at other
sinners (excluding oneself) and set up an us versus them mentality.
Hawthorne also uses Garden of Eden symbolism in “The Maypole of
Merry-mount”.
1st symbol – the maypole p. 619 1st
paragraph. This might represent pre-fall Garden of Eden – ignorance of sin.
It is contrasted with the Puritan symbol of the maypole – the whipping
post. P. 623
2nd symbol – all come together in sin, or
pagan pre-fall happiness, around the maypole – p. 620
3rd symbol – the premonition of Edith and
Edgar – p.621- and of the elders p. 622 2nd paragraph. The fear and
confusion experienced by Edith, Edgar, and the elders represents a sort of
post-fall knowledge without having actually experienced the fall.
4th symbol – the fall of the maypole p. 624
bottom of 4th paragraph. This
represents the fall of mankind’s ignorance in Eden.
Hawthorne also uses Edenic symbols in “The Minister’s Black Veil”.
1st symbol – the black veil – p. 635 3rd
paragraph – the veil represents the secret sins that all people try to hide.
It also represents the post-fall knowledge of sin.
However, when Hooper is confronted with his visage in the mirror he is
horrified p. 630 and 633. This implies that although Hooper admits that he has
secret sin and recognizes it in others, he is still uncomfortable with the fact
when confronted with a visual representation.
2nd symbol – the reaction of his congregation
p. 628 2nd and 3rd paragraphs. This represents the fall of
the congregation, and their knowledge and fear of secret sin.
Hooper and his veil are a reflection of themselves.
In Jennifer Thurik’s presentation from Summer 2002, she focuses on the
correspondence in the stories. I
see the correspondence as a direct result of the post-fall mentality that is
represented by the symbols. For example in “The Maypole of Merry Mount” on
p. 623 it is stated that the very presence of the puritans with their post-fall
knowledge changes the climate from sunny to cloudy. Likewise in “The
Minister’s Black Veil” on page 630 the presence of Mr. Hooper and his veil,
which also represents post-fall knowledge, changes the atmosphere of his
surroundings.
To me, Hawthorne implies that we are unified in sin. The ways in which we deal with or accept this knowledge are what lead to divisions among humans. Those who recognize sin in themselves become alienated and divided from others. There is a loss of hope and faith in mankind. Conversely, those who tend to recognize sin in others, but perhaps not in themselves, maintain unity with some others by establishing an us versus them or self versus other type dichotomy by projecting all sin – including their own – onto some other.
My questions are:
- To what extent does romantic literature rely on the us-versus- them or good-versus-evil dichotomy?
- Can there be (or is there) romantic literature that does not rely on it?
- How do symbols in the stories-the devil, the maypole, the veil-establish or perpetuate division among the people?
Class Discussion:
Mary: All literature shows opposites
April: Well, the journey, or
trying to save the woman. Some don’t follow that pattern though.
Classmate: The black veil alters
Hooper’s physical view of others. It
separates him.
Mary: We have a tendency to not
be afraid when we see someone’s face in the light. But in dark or behind a veil you do get afraid. Even though
you see the face you really don’t know what’s underneath, though.
Sawson: If someone does good we
consider them a good person. If someone does bad then we label them a bad
person. It’s not really right because we don’t know their real intentions.
Theresa: Elizabeth thinks she is
going to be able to get Hooper to take his veil off. Suddenly she is struck by
the horror of the veil and leaves. She just seems to feel it.
April: It’s when she has a
subconscious look at herself.
Theresa: He wants her to go on
with the relationship but she won’t. She sees a reflection and it wouldn’t
scare her unless there is something in her that scares her.
Kristy: What is happening
between good and bad characters also happens on another level not only within
characters but on the outside world. There is correspondence.
Classmate: There are lots of
foil characters. Comparison with
devil and young Brown. We’re all
hiding what really is going on inside.
Classmate: In the maypole, the
puritans are unfavorably contrasted with the pagans.
April: He doesn’t condone or
condemn per se. The pagans have moments of doubt and post-fall wisdom.
Dr. W.: Hawthorne didn’t write
that much to be a major author. Proportionally he draws more criticism than any
other author because his work is so open to interpretation.
Sawsan: We take sides with good.
Evil is evil and it will hurt us. But if we are aware, then we know that if the
motives aren’t pure then the person is a fraud.
Dr. W.: Is the good vs evil dichotomy implicit in Romanticism? The short answer is yes. Hawthorne is about as readable an author as you can find who works with shades of gray. Usually people want more clarity or simplification, but shades of gray are more true to life. There is subtlety, sophistication, and ambiguity.
April: I don’t know
Hawthorne’s intent, but we are more unified than we like to think.
Kristy: He let’s you figure
out who you sympathize and identify with. He doesn’t spoon-feed you.
Theresa: Hawthorne showed the
negative side of Puritanism.
Dr. W.: Puritanism is set up as
the bad guys in American culture; however, they are interesting and educated.
Mary: Hawthorne seems ashamed of
his ancestors’ participation in the witch trials.
April: But he creates balance between the negatives of the puritans and the negatives of the pagans.