Essay about Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† captivates the reader through a glimpse of the Puritan church. The story also shows the struggle of good versus evil in the main character Goodman Brown. The role of the Puritan church is crucial in shaping Goodman Brown’s personality and helping the reader understand why he was reluctant to continue his journey. â€Å"Puritanism, movement arising within the Church of England in the latter part of the 16th century that sought to purify or reform, that church and establish a middle course between Roman Catholicism and the ideas of the Protestant reformers† (Puritanism 1). The term Puritanism was referred to as an insult that was attached by†¦show more content†¦Conversion was a rejection of the worldliness of society combined with a strict adherence to Biblical principles. Puritans believed that a strong faith in Jesus and active participation in the sacraments could not alone hinder one’s salvation. No one can choose salvation, for it is the privilege of God alone (Campbell 1). The Puritan society centered around the idea of covenants. The concept of the contract between God and a select few was central to Puritan theology and social relationships (2). Campbell explains that the â€Å"Covenant of Works held that God promised Adam and his progeny eternal life if they obeyed moral law. After Adam broke this covenant, God made a new Covenant of Grace with Abraham†(2). The Covenant of Grace requires active faith and, as such, it softens the doctrine of predestination. Campbell further explains that, â€Å"Although God still chooses the elect, the relationship becomes one of contract in which punishment for sins is a judicially proper response to disobedience†(2).The Covenant of Redemption goes hand and hand with the Covenant of Grace. It states that Christ of his own free will chose to sacrifice his life for the common man. Then God was committed to carrying out the Covenant of Grace. The doctrine of predestination kept all Puritans constantly working to do good in this life to be chosen for the next eternal life. God had already chosen who would be in Heaven or Hell, and eachShow MoreRelatedNathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown1063 Words   |  5 PagesIt seems necessary to write down some lines about the author. Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts. Because of the involvement of his ancestor in the Salem witch trials , Nathaniel later added a w to make his name Hawthorne in order to hide this relation. He entered Bowdoin College in 1821, and graduated in 1825. Hawthorne published his first work, Fanshawe, in 1828. He published several short stories after that which he collected in 1837 as Twice-Told Tales. His masterpieceRead More Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay1404 Words   |  6 PagesNathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† portrays the growth of Young Goodman Brown through vivid symbolic setting. â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† is an allegory in which the setting is very important to the theme of the story. Throughout the narration, detailed setting and emblematic characters surround Goodman Brown. Goodman Brown is an Everyman character, which could be any one of us, struggling with his Puritan heritage, more specifically his spiritualRead More Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay1847 Words   |  8 PagesNathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Young Goodman Brown, Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the tale of a man and his discovery of evil. Hawthorne’s primary concern is with evil and how it affects Young Goodman Brown. Through the use of tone and setting, Hawthorne portrays the nature of evil and the psychological effects it can have on man. He shows how discovering the existence of evil brings Brown to view the world in a cynical way. Brown learns the nature of evil and, therefore, feelsRead MoreAllegory and Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†1203 Words   |  5 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† is an excellent example of the use of allegories and symbolism as a form of satire on Puritan faith. According to Frank Preston Stearns, author of The Life and Genius of Nathaniel Hawthorne, â€Å"Hawthorne may have intended this story as an exposure of the inconsistency, and consequent hypocrisy, of Puritanism† (Stearns 181 ). Throughout the story of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† Hawthorne tries to infuse as many symbols and allegories as he can to enhance the overallRead MoreAnalysis of Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown a Story708 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Young Goodman Brown (Order #A2103550) Christs death and resurrection can be considered only the beginning of his ministry for afterward he instructed his remaining apostles to go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Mt 28:16-20 [New King James Version]) Sixteen centuries later a group of Christians called Puritans would attempt to fulfill this Great Commission by spreading the good news of Christ andRead MoreSin in Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay2433 Words   |  10 PagesAnd the young Puritan Goodman Brown accepted this principle, after his in-the-woods experience, as applying not only to the Salem village rank-and-file but even to his faultless wife Faith. Is this notion of sin correct? This essay seeks to compare this moral depravity doctrine of the Puritans as seen in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† to the Catholic Church’s teaching on sin, a recognized standard. The influence of Puritan religion, culture and education is a common topic in Nathaniel Hawthornes worksRead MoreSymbolism in Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay468 Words   |  2 PagesSymbolism in Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown is full of symbolism throughout the story. Perhaps the most interesting examples of symbolism include the title character, Young Goodman Brown, as well as his wife, Faith, and the woods that Young Goodman Brown enters on his journey. Included are many allusions to Christianity and also to evil and sin. These references are expressed mainly through characters and settings in the story. TheRead More Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay1278 Words   |  6 PagesSymbolism in Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes symbolism throughout his short story Young Goodman Brown to impact and clarify the theme of good people sometimes doing bad things. Hawthorne uses a variety of light and dark imagery, names, and people to illustrate irony and different translations. Young Goodman Brown is a story about a man who comes to terms with the reality that people are imperfect and flawed and then dies a bitter death from the enlightenmentRead MoreDisapproval of Puritanism in Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown1959 Words   |  8 PagesRunning Head: Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Critical Analysis Nathaniel Hawthorne has presented his disapproval of Puritanism in the form of Young Goodman Brown who has been presented as the living embodiment of Puritanical sect. Where the influence of Hawthornes background on his work is evident, he has managed to present evidences for his argument. In his short story, he portrays Young Goodman Brown as a character who, on the basis of his own staunch beliefsRead MoreEssay on Faith Role in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown600 Words   |  3 PagesFaith plays a major role in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†. From the start of his journey to his arrival back home, Faith is always in the back of head, making him question his surroundings and own thoughts. It’s hard to determine when he’s speaking of his lovely wife Faith or his Faith in his God and religion. Through his many Young Goodman Brown’s journey begins with his departure from Faith, for he must â€Å"tarry away from thee.† (Nathaniel Hawthorne 1289) Could it be