Introduction to Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil”
Critique and criticism of Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” is very strong though Nathaniel Hawthorne satirized it in “The Young Goodman Brown.” Yet, he has been singled out as the best one in a tone that is mild and the satire that is latent in sweet words. Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” revolves around the character of Reverend Father Hooper who wants to become an icon of religious piety. He wears a black veil to prove his piety to the world around him. However, it dawns upon him that this veil is serving a great purpose – hiding his true face from the people who also wear different masks in life. The speculation it stirs among the people ranges from his mysterious thinking to his mysterious life and his being a sinner, or having a sense of shame. Even it seems to some a “terrible thinking” (Hawthorne) though not when worn by women. The open and broadminded atmosphere of Milford suddenly erupts into abuzz on account of this fanciful idea of wearing a black veil and the speculations it causes reach his fiancé as well who meets him in her final meeting to entreat him to show her his face. However, Father Hooper does not budge and loses her. He continues with this mask, making the atmosphere more suspenseful and exciting until his end nears when he again tries to save his face and speaks that “every visage [has] a Black Veil” (Hawthorne) by which he means that all are sinners. Through his character and commentary of the other characters, picture of Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” show the Puritan’s belief about the existence of evil in the world but also demonstrates the belief that all people are sinners and that there is a constant conflict between good and evil.
Commentary on Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil”
The first point of argument about the commentary on Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is that he has presented the figure of Father Hooper to show how clergymen considered themselves superior to all others that “The first glimpse of the clergyman’s figure was single for the bell to cease its summons” (Hawthorne). Considering all others inferior in piety, he starts wearing a black veil which rather stirs serious rumors about his personality. In a way, he attempts to raise a curtain between himself and the outside world in an attempt to create an aura of his religiosity. In this connection, it seems correct that his assessment of the public reaction proved true in that several sinners “cried aloud for Father Hooper” (Hawthorne) and that it has transformed him into an “efficiency clergyman” – a post that he much desired (Hawthorne). In other words, both of these references show that he has created his aura of an efficient representative of God whose word is final for the salvation of all other sinners. This is the commentary on Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Hawthorne that evil exists in the world in the shape of everyone being a sinner. However, it is also interesting that this belief of a person about himself being a pious and another a sinner is at the heart of the Puritan dilemma.
Double-Faced People in Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil”
Hawthorne intends to show that every person has two faces; one is good to show to the people and the other is evil that he tries to hide. The dilemma of Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” is that clergymen often find themselves at odds when facing the common people whom they consider sinners. This battle between the sinners and the pious seems to start very early when Father Hooper tries to separate himself from others by drawing a veil on his face. However, this battle continues only in rumors and the impacts that it has on the people. It reaches its peak when Elizabeth tries to ask the minister to come down from his pedestal of piety and remove that veil asking “What grievous affliction hath befallen thee” (Hawthorne). However, he is so much adamant that he does not budge from his stand and simply refuses her, entreating that she should not leave him. As a representative of the uncovered public, she, too, does not withdraw from her position and ultimately separation happens between the sinners Elizabeth is representing and him, the pious clergy community to whom Father Hooper is representing. This has been due to the differences drawn by Puritanism in the community to divide it on religious bases. The division in the community led to a war between the religious and the supposedly impious minds.
Public and Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil”
In fact, the minister has, from the very start, thought of other people as less pious and having drawn masks on their faces. Although it is not an open conflict, it has led to some type of friction between those who considered themselves pious such as the clergymen, and those who are the common people of Milford. Father Hooper here separated himself even from the clergymen and ended up creating conflictual relationships not only with the people but also with his religious counterparts. This tension between the people and Father Hooper has led to speculations between both parties; the father is generalizing all the people as sinners and masking their evil natures, and people are thinking of Father Hooper as a mystery. Elizabeth refuses to marry him on the same ground saying “Lift the veil but once, and look me in the face” (Hawthorne). The other conflict is between him and his counterparts that does not end even when Reverend Mr. Clark tries to remove his veil and Father Hooper springs up to stop him saying “on every visage a Black veil” (Hawthorne). In fact, this is the same wedge of rift created by Puritanism on which Hawthorne has built his commentary through Father Hooper and his veil.
Conclusion
Briefly stating it, Hawthorne has used not only the description and situation of Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” but also the characters to comment on the state of Puritanism and its impacts on dividing the people on religious lines, making them turn against each other merely on metaphysical thinking. The story has shown that it was thought that the world is full of evil and evil exists in the world. This has led the more religious people to think of other people as sinners, making them fear God and be obedient. It has also created a sort of war between the supposed pious and supposed sinners, making them stay at the mercy of the clergymen who consider them less pious. In the merrymaking world of Milford, the veil has torn apart all the notions of Puritanism and laid them bare for the people to see as given in the note about such clerical eccentricities.
Works Cited
- Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “The Minister’s Black Veil.” PDC. n. d. https://pdcrodas.webs.ull.es/fundamentos/HawthorneTheMinistersBlackVeil.pdf. Accessed 25 Sep. 2022.
Relevant Questions About Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil”
- How does Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” influence the community’s perception of Reverend Hooper and his mysterious black veil?
- In “The Minister’s Black Veil,” how does Nathaniel Hawthorne use Puritanism to explore the themes of sin, guilt, and judgment in the story?
- What role does Puritanism play in shaping the social and moral context of “The Minister’s Black Veil,” and how does it contribute to the central conflict of the narrative?
