One month ago, the writer Hawthorne would complete 210 years old. So this post is a tribute to him, his writing helped to decrease hypocrisy and ignorance. I analysed one of his short story when I was an universitary student. This post is a summary of five articles. The first published http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_ The second was published at http://www.sparknotes.com/short-stories/young-goodman-brown/ . The third was published at http://www.123helpme.com/preview.asp?id=15091. The fourth was published at http://www.e-scoala.ro/referate/engleza_hypocrisy_in_the_scarlet.html. The fifth was published at http://www.gradesaver.com/young-goodman-brown-and-other-hawthorne-short-stories/study-guide/major-themes/
Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. He was born in Salem, Massachusetts. His ancestors include John Hathorne, the only judge involved in the Salem witch trials. Much of Hawthorne`s writing centers on New England, many works featuring moral allegories with a puritan inspiration. His fiction works are considered part of the Romantic movement and, more specifically, Dark romanticism. His themes often center on the inherent evil and sin of humanity, and his works often have moral messages and deep psychological complexity. In 1836, Hawthorne worked as the editor of a Magazine and during this time, he published many short stories, including "Young Goodman Brown" and "The Minister`s Black Veil." He married the illustrator Sophia Peabody in 1842 in Boston. The couple had three children. In 1846, he was appointed as Inspector of the Revenue for the Port of Salem. He had difficulty writing during this period. After his dismissal in 1848, he returned to writing and published, "The Scarlet Letter," in 1850. The book became an immediate best-seller in the U.S. The writer D.H.Lawrence said that there could be no more perfect work of imagination than The Scarlet Letter. After, he published "The House of the Seven Gables" (1851), which critic James Russell said that was the better of all and called "the most valuable contribution to New England history that has been made." Many of his works are inspired by puritans, combining historical romance with symbolism and deep psychological themes, bordering on surrealism. His depictions are a version of historical fiction used as a vehicle to express common themes of sin, guilt and retribution.
The main theme in "Young Goodman Brown" is the weakness of public morality. Hawthorne reveals what he sees as the corruptibility that results from puritan society`s emphasis on public morality, which often weakens private faith. The character Goodman Brown religious convictions are rooted in his belief that those around him are also religious. Hawthorne seems to suggest that the danger of basing a society on moral principles and religious faith lies in the fact that members of the society do not arrive at their own moral decisions. So they copy the beliefs of the people around them, their faith becomes weak and rootless. Another theme is the inevitable loss of innocence. The inherent corruptibility of the protagonist suggest that this was inevitable.
Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne repeatedly portrays the puritanical view of sin and evil. Puritan hypocrisy is exposed in this novel. The one who is the embodiment of evil creates hypocrisy of puritanical view towards the evil.Through use of light and dark imagery and the contrast of his beliefs versus the beliefs of the puritans, hawthorne exposes the hypocritical beliefs of the puritans.
In The Scarlet Letter, hypocrisy is evident everywhere. Hawthorne was not subtle in his portrayal of the terrible sin of hypocrisy. Just because this book is set in colonial times, does not mean its lessons are not applicable to the world we live in. The character Dimmesdale is the ultimate incarnation of hypocrisy. He represent how the puritan ideals had been twisted into something that reeked of hypocrisy. Dimmesdale recognize the danger of hypocrisy, but his character is too weak to avoid the pitfall of hypocrisy. The puritan society itself was a lesson in hypocrisy. Religion is often the source of much hypocrisy. Fanaticism to a deity is not a good thing. Pervesion of god by those who hold power is a serious sin. Its impossible to truly believe in a religion, and feel justified in killing or persecuting others. The infamous Bill Clinton adultery fiasco was made into big issue because of fundamentalists. Many of them were guilty of a sin they themselves were condemning. Hawthorne work was meant to highlight the hypocrisy in puritan society, and in the people that society. The Scarlet Letter was meant to expose just how much of a sin hypocrisy is, and just how it causes so much pain and suffering.
Related to the theme of puritanism is the idea of man`s inherent good and evil nature. Though people may outwardly appear moral, they may bear inward sin. Likewise, those who appear sinful on the outside and exposed may have the most clear consciences. In Young Goodman Brown, the main character, is shocked to find the most outwardly pure and respected members of the community in an evil gathering. The next day, he can not bear to look at them the same way, he has seen their hypocrisy and hidden sin. By failing to recognize that humanity is not just black and white, he can not take part in humanity. Moral conflict is again see in "Roger Malvin´s Burial". The guilt from the knowledge of his own sins, torture the protagonist. Hawthorne employs mystical occurrences as symbols. He uses doomed or cursed individuals to exaggerate moral conflicts, in "Ethan Brand," the protagonist`s stone heart is a warning against alienation. Ethan Brand`s search for the unpardonable sin may be more philosophical in nature, but the result of his intellectual pursuits are similar to other short stories. In the end, he gives the mind prominence over his own heart. Through each tragedy, Hawthorne cautions his readers to strive for balance between thought, love and respect.
