Nathaniel Hawthorne Biography Young Goodman Brown and Connections

Nathaniel Hawthorne Biography, “Young Goodman Brown”, and Connections to Salem, MA.

Nathaniel Hawthorne 1804 -1864 • Born in Salem, Massachusetts • Puritan Background • Descendent of John Hathorne – one of the three judges in the Salem Witch Trials

Hawthorne’s Background • Began writing after college at Bowdion College in Maine. • Changed his name from Hathorne to Hawthorne after college. • Held many jobs including writer, publisher, working at a custom house, and consul in England.

More Background • Was friends with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Herman Melville • Went to college with President Franklin Pierce (14 th President)

His Themes in Writing • • Moral allegories The sinful man Hypocrisy The dark side of human nature • Religion

His Most Famous Works • Novels – The House of Seven Gables – The Scarlet Letter • Short Stories – “The Minister’s Black Veil” – “Young Goodman Brown”

Who were the Puritans? • Wanted a “pure” church – No candles – No images (idolatry – the worship of images or statues) – No stained glass windows • Rejected the “showy” Church of England • Led very somber lives governed solely by a strict interpretation of the Bible • No “nonsense” – dancing, gambling, drama, etc.

Basic Beliefs of the Puritan Church • Jesus Christ is the Son of God – died on the cross for all everyone’s sins • People are pre-disposed or predestined to commit sins and go to hell. • The whole Bible is the word of God and it is to be followed to the letter. • The belief that these ideas are fact are known as a person’s faith

The Infamous Puritans • The Salem Witch Trials put the Puritans prominently in the history books • Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible put it in Literature classes forever

And Now, Nathanial Hawthorne’s Short Story “Young Goodman Brown” Young – indicates his age Goodman – typical title for a farmer Brown – the man’s last name

Some Basics… • Characters – Young Goodman Brown – His wife, Faith – Mysterious man in the forest with a strange looking staff

Some Basics… • Minor Definitions… – Constable: person in law enforcement – Deacon: position in church held by congregation member – Goody: abbr. of “goodwife”, female version of goodman – Reverend: pastor or priest – Sabbath: day of rest in the Judo/Christian church – in this case, Sunday

YGB as an Allegory • What is an allegory? – A story where everything is a symbol – Used commonly to instruct especially in religious matters – Some famous allegories are: • Dante’s Divine Comedy (more famous though is the first part commonly known as Dante’s Inferno • John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress

The Allegory of Young Goodman Brown – Basics • The Snake Satan – The Devil • Why? – See Genesis Chapter 3

The Allegory of Young Goodman Brown - Color • White Purity • Red Sin • Pink Childishness, femininity, impurity (remember that women were seen as having weaker spirits in puritan society)

The Allegory of Young Goodman Brown – Good Versus Evil • Stars / Sky / Heavenly Bodies • Heaven / Connection with God

The Allegory of Young Goodman Brown – Good Versus Evil • The Forest • Evil / Sin

The Allegory of Young Goodman Brown – Good Versus Evil • Fire • Hell

The Allegory of Young Goodman Brown – People • Young Goodman Brown • The common Christian man – brown is neutral • Faith • A Christian’s faith • Witches • Satan / Evil

One Last Thing for ACES… Another literary term feather for your literary term cap… • Imagery: words and phrases that re-create vivid sensory experiences for the reader. Usually imagery is visual, but often it is written to the senses of smell, hearing, taste, and touch