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What Is The Symbolism In The Minister's Black Veil

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Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of the most studied and influential writers in history. His many works use symbolism and allegory to portray their purpose, filling them with deep meaning and offering a wide variety of interpretation. Hawthorne was not particularly proud of his family history; he disagreed with some of his ancestors positions in the salem witch trials. He distanced himself with that part of his family and added a “w” to his name to further do so. Hawthorne was born in Salem Massachusetts, which gave him a prevalent theme of puritanism in many of his stories. (Nathaniel Hawthorne Biography). One such story, The Minister’s Black Veil, captures Hawthorne´s unique style and background.
The setting of The Minister’s Black Veil is Milford. It’s is a small town in New England with a close-knit community. This is a typical type of setting for Hawthorne, as it emphasises the beliefs of the region in that time period. The town is very religious as seen by the attendance of church where the story begins. The entrance of the story taking place at the church …show more content…

It is presented in the veil and the effects it has on its surroundings. When there are others in Mr. Hooper’s presence, they feel the veil as if it’s a storm cloud approaching on what would otherwise be a sunny or cheerful day. This is most prevalent in the situations of the marriage and the funeral. The funeral is the only part of the story where the veil seems to be appropriate and would seem ordinary to one who is not part of the community. Though it may be appropriate, others still see it as a bad omen and claim to see even the corpse shudder under it. At the wedding, it’s a joyous occasion that is quickly thrown off as it is delivered by Hooper. The townspeople are in hopes that he will cast away the veil and join them in that momentous occasion but are deterred from this mentality as Hooper provides an atmosphere of seriousness and

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