Nathaniel Hawthorne and “The Minister’s Black Veil”

Nathaniel Hawthorne 1804-1864 Gothic aspects of Romanticism Evil = strong force in the world Gloomy outlook on life/mankind Born in Salem, MA  Puritan family Ancestor was a judge in Salem witchcraft trials Hawthorne’s life & writing were influenced by an inherited sense of guilt; haunted by the cruelty of his ancestors Hawthorne added the “w” to his family name to disassociate himself from his ancestor’s reputation.

Gothic Aspects in Romantic literature Even though Romanticism often focused on the positive aspects of human nature, it was a celebration of the individual and imagination. Gothicism seemed like a natural part of the exploration of the darker side of human nature.

Elements of Gothicism Isolation from society The grotesque (for Hawthorne, it is largely imaginary—unknown sin of the minister) Extreme sensitivity of main characters (Mr. Hooper does not want to remove his veil). Life after death (more the thought in Hawthorne’s story).

Some of Hawthorne’s Literature The Scarlet Letter Novel about sin, guilt, adultery The House of the Seven Gables Novel about guilt, atonement; supernatural, witchcraft “The Minister’s Black Veil” Short story about secrets and sin

Allegory Parable A story with both a literal and symbolic meaning Simple, usually short, story that teaches a moral lesson Fable = animals Parable = human beings

Symbol Something that has meaning in itself while also standing for something greater Ex: In “The Minister’s Black Veil,” there is a literal veil covering his face, but it also represents a deeper idea (a symbolic meaning)

Respond to the Question: What do you think Father Hooper’s black veil represents? Write a paragraph that first (A) answers the question, and then (P) proves the answer with text evidence. Then (C) comment how the proof supports the answer. This is APC format.

Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “The Minister’s Black Veil.” Holt McDougal Literature: American Literature. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. 470-481. Print. Ramos, John Louie. “Biography of Nathaniel Hawthorne.” Helium. com. 7 May 2010. Web. 3 Jan. 2013. Sonfer, Larik. “From Gothicism to Romanticism: The History of Gothic Literature.” Helium.com. 22 May 2008. Web. 3 Jan. 2013.