Roger Chillingworth is a character seen as a distorted human being, seemingly one without a soul. This is an effortless conclusion to make without proper analysis. Roger Chillingworth is not as twisted as is often thought, as he does many good things that are overlooked. He is open minded and gains knowledge for the good of others. He does evil deeds, but in a human way that makes him quite conflicting. Chillingworth is a sinner that possibly committed a greater sin than that of adultery, but is overall gray in his morality. He redeems himself when his remaining wealth is given to Pearl, and his wrongdoing is realized. This novel will be analyzed using the Mythological, or Archetypal literary criticism type. Hawthorne clearly wrote the novel with some archetypes in mind, whether they be biblical or from another source. These archetypes and the analysis of them help illuminate Chillingworth in a way the novel fails to do on its own. Roger Chillingworth is a normal, good person painted in a bad light because the story focuses so much on Hester.
In her critique, Carnivalesque Freedom in Hawthorne’s YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN, Selina Jamil proposes that although there in an obvious theme of the human heart’s confrontation with evil, there is also a carnivalesque theme that is exemplified when the use of irony and parody ridicule the Puritan idea of virtue as well as the power of evil itself. Jamil continues that the carnivalesque theme further establishes that the “encounter with evil teaches the average mind to replace naiveté with skepticism.” Ultimately, Jamil states that there is no resolution with the internal conflict of Goodman Brown just like there is no resolution as to whether the “witch meeting” was reality or a dream. If Jamil indeed believes that YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN exemplifies a feature of Bakhtinian carnival, then Bakhtinian carnival concepts should, at the very least, be mentioned.
“The Minister’s Black Veil” is arguably one of the most famous short stories in the history of American Literature. The author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, is an extremely well known writer who is recognized for his many works. From The Scarlet Letter to The House of the Seven Gables, Hawthorne’s exceptional literary skills are portrayed in each and every one of his stories. In his short story, “The Minister’s Black Veil,” Nathaniel Hawthorne uses irony, symbolism, and stereotypical Puritan beliefs and behavior to expose humanity’s hypocrisy in an effort to create change.
Throughout Edith Wharton’s Transcendental novel, Age of Innocence, she creates a complex society based on social norms. During this work, Wharton suggests that power is based on wealth and that an individuals’ potential is limited to some extent by the strict rules of upper class New York society. For instance, the elites of New York refuse to let Ellen Olenska into their society because she is a woman who left her husband. These New Yorkers are worried that they will be breaking the social code by having an outcast as an acquaintance. Ellen’s struggles in fitting into society depicts the fact that one cannot ignore all social norms and be accepted by anyone worried about their own status. The amount of power and influence society has over
American currencies, specifically coins, have two sides: a head and a tail. The head and tail are different, yet they are still part of the same coin. Two American authors, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne, represent two sides of the same coin: Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism swept through America as a new worldview in the 1900’s. Transcendentalism is a philosophy that asserts the primacy of the spiritual and transcendental over the material, that deals with aspects of nature. Men committed their lives to the study of nature. Nature became a religion. Emerson, a transcendental optimist, claimed that each person is inherently good. Hawthorne, a transcendental pessimist, demanded that man was corrupt and inherently evil. Emerson
When it comes to doing what 's right; when stuck in a dilemma, how does one conform? Society is constantly edging us to submit to external pressures with the fear of being judged even if it might be the wrong decision. Two Fishermen, and The Snob illustrated by Morley Callaghan are both exceptional examples on how society views and pressures can have an impact on one’s actions towards a situation. Whether it is based on one’s hierarchy placement by assumptions or, even when one gets judged by the way they appear. Throughout these two short stories, the protagonists Michael and John are placed in tough situations making them face societal obstacles. When someone is placed in a situation they can feel uncomfortable, or threatened, which then
Gentillesse, the the capacity for a being to act compassionately and graciously, was seen as a characteristic of the noble class (Brown 175). In fact, gentillesse was a concept based on both “wealth and social distinction” as well as “character and behavior,” and these two parts were thought to be almost impossible to separate (Carruthers 286). Being an aristocrat was, therefore, a necessary condition for gentillesse; those at the cusp of nobility were not thought to have this characteristic as they were not at the top of the social hierarchy. Yet, the Franklin, a member of the landowning class but not a noble, explores the presumed relationship between the attribute and the high-class. In the “Franklin’s Tale,” the Franklin constructs parallel
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “Young Goodman Brown,” the author uses mystery and suspense to hold the attention of the reader. One of the most obvious questions is if these events are actually real or if they are all a dream. However, whether the events are imaginary or reality, they have the same impact on Brown’s life whether they took place, or were just a twisted nightmare. Hawthorne shows that a strong faith is the greatest asset of a man or woman, and when that faith is compromised, the effects of this can cause one to be filled with doubt and cynicism toward the rest of the world. “Young Goodman Brown” is an allegory about a man who has lost his faith due to the fact that he has based his faith on the people
An individual’s perception of themselves can sometimes be an illusion when the reality is to hard to swallow. Once a reality has been forced upon an individual, they will never be able to have the same perception of themselves again. This idea is explored in Miss Brill, written by Katherine Mansfield through the character Miss Brill. Miss Brill started this narrative out by feeling as though she was as important as a movie star; beautiful and young, like age never affected her. While poking fun at other people on her routinely visits to the park in her town, it wasn’t until two people who poked fun at her, caused her to lose the illusion she had of herself and see herself for how she was. Miss Brill thought she was a young, beautiful, important person, but there is to a certain extent that you have to decipher your illusion and confidence between the harsh
Henry James in the funeral article of Lippincott’s Magazine from July 1877, issues a negative tone on describing the people attending, but is being positive about Mr. George Odger.
Charles Brockden Brown’s Wieland paints a picture of religion that faults its practice in early America. As a force of plot in the novel, it is blind faith in one’s religion that leads to both Elder Wieland and Theodore’s eventual demise, but as a more present force, Brown’s perspective on religion in the novel points to a distaste for enlightenment thinking based upon what happens to both Theordore and Elder Wieland.
Nathaniel Hawthorne and Ambrose Bierce express their dark romantic writing styles in a way to create a certain emotion to the reader. In Hawthorne’s “The Minister's Black Veil” and Bierce’s “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” both stories are similar in their use of symbolism and irony to add depth to the story and contrast in their use of tone.
Furthermore, Olds writes:”And he is black and I am white, and without meaning or trying and I must profit from his darkness.” This point of the poem presents a shift because readers realize the relationship. This woman states that
The writer narrates a story of evil taking over an innocent man, revealing the fragility of human belief. In the story, the devil uses rhetorical techniques, such as logos and ethos, to lead Goodman Brown astray. By listing several examples of corruption, the devil successfully conveys Goodman that all people are standing on the wicked side. By calling fellow citizens “children”, the devil demonstrates that his ability, visionary, and authority are much greater than those of humans, showing that standing on the evil side is not only a “wise” option, but also a general trend. “Look up to Heaven, and resist the Wicked one” clearly shows that even though Goodman Brown has deep belief in Puritanism, he cannot help himself under the extreme
In “North and South,” author Elizabeth Gaskell subverts the idea that prejudice may only come from those of high stature, exemplifying the overarching reach of prejudice through the servant Dixon. Dixon’s prejudice initially presents itself through her distaste for Mr. Hale and her view that his class is socially inferior to that of her mistress, Mrs. Hale. Although she considers Mr. Hale to be “the blight which had fallen upon her young lady's prospects in life,” she finds herself “too loyal to desert [Mrs. Hale] in her affliction and downfall (alias her married life)” (Gaskell 22). The relationship she has with Mr. and Mrs. Hale illustrates Dixon’s inherent bias towards others depending on their social status. The extent of Dixon’s predisposition is interesting because she herself is a servant.