“Young Goodman Brown” is believed to be one of the most famous short stories by Nathaniel Hawthorn. In this work, the author explores the delusiveness of human nature and its propensity to sin. Having much peace, love, happiness, and religion in his young life, the main character Young Goodman Brown felt the need to set out to test the strength of all that he had believed in, but never knew the force he would have to reckon with. The author renders his message through this character because Goodman Brown still maintains a certain level of sincerity, up to a certain moment this man remains morally uncompromised..
At the very beginning, Hawthorn does not tell what the protagonist wants to do and what his errand is. However, as the story progresses, the author gives us certain clues about his real intentions. In particular, while describing Goodmans companion, Hawthorn says that he had a staff “which bore the likeness of a great black snake” (Hawthorn, 25). This subtle detail presents him as an ominous figure. In addition to that, Goodman attempts to justify his lateness by saying that “Faith kept him back”. In this case, the word “Faith” can be interpreted from different standpoints; on the one hand, it is the name of his wife; it was very common at that time. Yet, probably, it should be viewed as his devotion to God, preventing him from going into the forest.
Throughout the text, Hawthorn emphasizes that the word “Faith” has double meaning. In this way, he proves that true faith is the only way to resist evil. The protagonist is still endeavoring to turn back, but his companion (or the devil, to be more exact) persuades him to continue the journey. At the end, he says. “My faith is gone”, we may also regard these words as a reference to his wife and his religious devotion. The main character is unable to overcome temptation, and later he becomes estranged from his wife and other people. Inability to hold to one’s religious beliefs and inclination to test them are probably the main themes of this novella.
Apart from that, Hawthorn constantly attracts our attention to the delusiveness of human nature. For example, as Goodman Brown goes further and further into the forest, he is joined by many villagers, whom he had always viewed as pious Christians. For instance, he encounters Deacon Gookin, who also intends to participate in the Sabbath. Furthermore, at the very outset, the devil says that that he has been familiar with many puritans. The author suggests that Goodman Brown is not the only person, ready to join the nocturnal rite.
The protagonist is still firmly convinced that that there is someone, who will never take part in the Sabbath, his wife, Faith. All his hopes are frustrated when he hears her voice. On the following day, he sees every participant wants to appear “excellent old Christian” (Hawthorn, 34). The prayers, they utter seem to him outrageous hypocrisy.
Therefore, we can arrive at the conclusion that in his novella “Young Goodman Brown” Nathaniel Hawthorn shows that a human being is often inclined to test his faith and subsequently to yield to evil. In the authors opinion, true dedication to God helps people to oppose the dark side of their soul. Moreover, Hawthorn shows how deceitful people maybe, by contrasting the behavior of Salem villagers during the ritual and in their everyday life.
Bibliography
Nathaniel Hawthorne. “Young Goodman Brown and Other Short Stories” Courier Dover Publications, 1992.