Character Young Goodman Brown

Answer

Sketch the character Young Goodman Brown. 

Young Goodman Brown is the main character in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s (1804-1864) story, “Young Goodman Brown” (1835). He is a young man from Salem Village and is newly married to Faith. At the start, he says goodbye to his wife and leaves for a mysterious journey in the forest. Goodman Brown is a good Christian with pride in his family’s piety. However, his faith faces a tough test during this journey.

A Loving Husband: At the start, Goodman Brown is portrayed as a loving husband. He cares deeply for his wife, Faith. This is shown when he says,

What, my sweet, pretty wife, dost thou doubt me already, and we but three months married?

Here, he shows that he values his relationship with Faith. Though he loves her, he decides to leave her for a night to go on his strange journey into the forest. This decision marks the beginning of his troubles.

A Shocking Revelation: When Goodman Brown walks into the dark and gloomy forest, he meets a mysterious old man. The man seems to have been waiting for him. He knows a lot about Goodman Brown’s family and their secret sins. He says,

I have been as well acquainted with your family as with ever a one among the Puritans; and that’s no trifle to say.

Goodman Brown is shocked to learn that his father and grandfather were involved in evil deeds. This revelation starts to shake his faith in his family and his religion.

Struggle with Conscience: Throughout his journey, Goodman Brown continues to struggle with his conscience. He wants to turn back and return to his wife, but he feels a strange pull to continue deeper into the forest. He says,

With heaven above and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the devil!

This shows his struggle to keep faith in God and his wife despite being surrounded by darkness and evil.

The Turning Point: Goodman Brown’s turning point comes when he sees Faith’s pink ribbon flutter down from the sky. He believes that this means Faith has turned to evil, just like the others in the village. In despair, he cries out,

My Faith is gone!

At this moment, Goodman Brown loses all hope and thinks that no goodness is left in the world. He holds the old man’s staff and runs toward the evil ceremony in the forest. The staff looks like a serpent. The devil draws one to himself by using the emotions of people close to the person.

A Changed Man: After the strange events in the forest, Goodman Brown returns to Salem Village a changed man. He can no longer trust anyone, not even his wife, Faith. He becomes cold and bitter. He lives the rest of his life in gloom and despair. The writer says,

A stern, a sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man did he become from the night of that fearful dream.

Goodman Brown’s experience in the forest, whether real or a dream, has destroyed his belief in the goodness of people.

To sum up, Young Goodman Brown is a character who starts with a strong faith in his family, his religion, and his wife. However, his journey into the forest reveals the darkness in others and himself. His story shows how easily faith can be shaken when faced with human weakness and evil.