Depict the Dark side of Salem Village
Young Goodman Brown is a notable literary work by Nathaniel Hawthorne. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, to various questions of Young Goodman Brown.
Answer
Depict the dark side of Salem Village.
Salem village is the place setting of “Young Goodman Brown” (1835), written by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864). This story reveals the hidden evil within Salem Village. Here, the appearance of goodness masks dark secrets and hypocrisy. The tale reveals how the villagers secretly engage in sinful and wicked behavior.
Hidden Hypocrisy: Goodman Brown discovers that respected people, like Goody Cloyse, are not as innocent as they seem. Goody Cloyse, who taught him about Christianity, is a witch. He says,
That old woman taught me my catechism!
This refers to how even religious figures hide dark and evil sides.
False Virtue in the Community: The village is filled with people who pretend to be righteous. The minister and Deacon Gookin, who are seen as holy, are also involved with the Devil. The narrator says,
The good old minister was taking an evil purpose in hand.
This reveals that the supposed goodness of these people is just a disguise for their sinful deeds.
The Devil’s Gathering in the Forest: The dark forest near Salem represents the hidden wickedness. During the eerie ceremony, Goodman Brown sees all the villagers, including his wife, joining the Devil. The scene shows how corruption and evil have touched everyone in the village.
In short, in “Young Goodman Brown,” Hawthorne exposes the dark side of Salem Village, where evil hides behind a mask of virtue. The story warns that even the most righteous can be deeply corrupt. It reflects the darkness that lies within human nature.