`Young Goodman Brown`- How Nathaniel Hawthorne`s life is reflected in this short story.

PLOT SUMMARY

Nathaniel Hawthorne 's Young Goodman Brown ' narrates the story of its protagonist Goodman Brown living in the village of God-fearing Puritans in Salem , Massachusetts during the 17th century . The story begins at dusk with the newlywed young gentleman bidding goodbye to his beautiful wife Faith as he embarks on a journey through the forest . Although he did not mention the purpose of his errand , he is not to return until the next morning . He sets out to the woods to meet a mysterious man . In spite of expecting to find

this certain man , he is terrified when he sees his grim figure looming in the dark forest ahead of him

Throughout the course of travel , there were many indications that the sinister figure is the Devil himself . The two keep moving until they come across an old woman named Goody Cloyse whom Goodman Brown recognizes as his moral and spiritual adviser . He is shocked to realize that she is departing for a witch-meeting . He felt the same way about Deacon Gookin and the Minister who come riding along . Brown was taken aback from knowing that these supposedly pious people are in league with evil . Goodman Brown goes a short distance into the forest with the man and suddenly decides he has gone far enough as the man appears to lure Brown into the heart of the forest . As they go deep into the woods , he found himself before the townsfolk of Salem and of surrounding communities performing frenzied rituals before a blazing fire . Goodman Brown suffers a terrible shock to find his wife Faith in the midst of it . He realizes that Faith is part of the baptism of newcomers that is taking place in the woods . He shouts to his wife : Look up to heaven and resist the Wicked One ' He awakes to find himself alone in the forest and wonders whether what he had just experienced was a wild dream or reality . Nevertheless , Goodman Brown returned to the town of Salem as a different man . Goodman Brown lives out his days in desperate loneliness and gloom embittered and distrustful of the community he revered , and is especially cold towards his wife Faith

ANALYSIS

Hawthorne 's historical background of Puritanism is very much evidenced in many of his works . Many of his stories are inspired of personal experience of his early life and his own family . Set in his hometown of Salem , Massachusetts , Young Goodman Brown ' displays Puritan religion and culture

Hawthorne spent twelve years of self-imposed semi-seclusion spent in the upper floor of his mother 's home in Salem , trying to master the art of writing . While researching local New England history for background use in his fiction , he was shocked upon the discovery about the history of his first American ancestors . His 17th century paternal forefathers Judge John Hathorne and sadistic Puritan Magistrate William Hathorne were both involved in the Salem Witch Trials . They used torture and sentenced alleged witches to death . Although born into...