A Critique of Puritanism in Hawthornes Young Goodman...

Young Goodman Brown: A Critique of Puritanism Given Nathaniel Hawthornes background, it is not a stretch of the imagination to say that Young Goodman Brown is a critique of Puritanism. Hawthorne lived in the deeply scarred New England area, separated from puritanism by only one generation. His grandfather had been one the judges who presided over the Salem Witch trials. Some of the principle motifs that run through Hawthornes works are hidden sin, the supernatural, and the influence of evil. Ironically enough, puritanism is also a part of those tales. What then is the moral/ philosophical import of Young Goodman Brown? It suggests, in an allegorical sense, that puritanism is a deceptive religion that creates a false†¦show more content†¦One might ask also why Faith wears pink ribbons, which are frivolous in nature, in her hair. This serves to symbolize again, the superfluous nature of puritanism, and also, its contradictory nature. Under the guise of righteousness, puritans actually committed horrific acts. So her ribbons are pink, a shade between the purity of white and the sin of red - a further indicator of Puritanisms ambiguity. And when Faith says a lone woman is troubled with such dreams and thoughts that shes afeard of herself, one can not help thinking that her beauty is only skin deep. Thus when Goodman Brown leaves his faith, it is not a departure from virtue, but a departure from deception. To continue the allegorical analysis, Goodman Brown represents any naturally good human being caught in puritanisms web. His journey through the evil forest is a journey into truth - into Hawthornes reality of evil puritanism. He discovers that all the pious members of the community are actually evil, which, when interpreted directly, tends to suggest the true nature of puritanism. And when these same upstanding puritans mingle with those of dissolute lives and spotted fame(384), Hawthorne is suggesting that Puritans are on the same level as these individuals in that there actions are no less morally repugnant. Browns conversation with Satan suggests that Puritans have always unconsciously committed sin in theirShow MoreRelatedEssay Sin, Guilt, and the Mind of Nathaniel Hawthorne1490 Words   |  6 PagesMind of Nathaniel Hawthorne      Ã‚   Nathaniel Hawthornes works are notable for their treatment of guilt and the complexities of moral choices. Moral and religious concerns, in short, are almost always present in Hawthornes work(Foster, 56). Given Hawthornes background, it is not a stretch of the imagination to say that his novels are critiques of Puritanism. Hawthorne lived in the deeply scarred New England area, separated from Puritanism by only one generation. His grandfather had been oneRead MoreSocial, Political, And Cultural Realms Of `` Young Goodman Brown ``877 Words   |  4 Pagesliterature to gain this understanding. Only through the close examination of unique aspects of literature do critics gain a potentially new understanding of human society and how people interact with one another as we shall come to see in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown.† While writers may delve the realms of the seemingly improbable, their writings are often based on some basis of historical truth or personal experience. In the 1980s, a literary theory known as New Historicism emerged that sought to understandRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1492 Words   |  6 PagesIn Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story of Young Goodman Brown, the author uses symbolism and allegories in order to showcase the Puritan faith as well as man’s conflict between good and evil. This analysis will breakdown the techniques that the author uses to critique the puritan society, and to show the difference between how people appear to be in society and the true colors that they are hidden inside of them. There has been a lot of great authors in our time, but none more interesting than NathanielRead MoreCritiques of the Puritan Norms by Nathaniel Hawthorne in Young Goodman Brown982 Words   |  4 Pageshis works, for providing stirring critiques of the Puritan norms that were so prominent during his time. As a writer, he was also willing to challenge the institutions that other people found sacred, and beyond that, he hoped to challenge perceptions of what it meant to live a normal life during that time. One of the primary themes of Puritanism is the concept of original sin, and Hawthorne seemed to have a preoccupation with this concept. In â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† and â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil,†