Analysis of Hawthrone´s The Mminister´s Black Veil Essay

In The Minister’s Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author seeks to convey that although all individuals are sinners, members of society will condemn those who seek to confront their own faults. This conclusion was drawn from the many motifs which relate to Puritan society, particularly the superstitions and Christian ideologies of many New Englanders during the 18th century. In this tale, Mr. Hooper’s donning of the black veil is viewed as a change which alters his countenance indefinitely; from the moment it is introduced, those who view it are awestruck. The mere sight of Mr. Hooper even acts as a “signal for the bell to cease its summons”. As murmurs spread throughout the congregation, Mr. Hooper preaches of “secret sin, and those

“The Minister’s Black Veil”, Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the story of a parish pastor in Milford, New England. For unknown reasons, Parson Hooper has taken to wearing a dark veil on his face that covers all but his lips and chin. This veil immediately causes an uproar amongst the church members. Despite the fact that Parson Hooper’s behavior is largely the same, the people are genuinely shocked. Right away, they view this black veil as a sign the pastor is hiding a sinful secret. Parson Hooper goes onto preach a sermon that is similar to his usual sermons, but people find that it is suddenly more meaningful because of the veil. When finished, the

In this essay, it discusses about ¨The Ministerś Black Veil" which is a short story about a reverend that goes by the name of, Mr. Hooper. In this short story, Mr. Hooper starts wearing a black veil, to cover his face. "There was but one thing remarkable in his appearance. Swathed about his forehead, and hanging over his face, so low as to be shaken by his breath, Mr. Hooper had on a black veil." (page 2). People in the town start to gossip about him because he decided to wear the black veil daily. It started one sabbath morning when he showed up with it to church. Mr. Hooper refuses to tell anyone why he wears the black veil. The black veil has its own symbolism, but it also means separation. The first separation is from the people, which

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil," Mr. Hooper, a Reverend in the town of Milford, surprises his parishioners by donning a conspicuous black veil one Sunday. The town is visibly spooked, yet still curious, about his eerie appearance and profoundly affected by his sermon on secret sin. "A subtle power was breathed into his words. Each member of the congregation, the most innocent girl, and the man of hardened breast, felt as if the preacher had crept upon them, behind his awful veil, and discovered their hoarded iniquity of deed or thought" (2432). The parishioner's expect that Hooper will only don the veil for one day and then remove it, having used the visage to make his point on secret sin, but they are taken aback to

in Nathaniel Hawthorne's anecdote the "Pastor's Black Veil" his subject of the story is that no one can get away from a wrongdoing. An examination on the surface of the story is one day Mr. Hooper clergyman of an assemblage in Milford, MA, a little settlement of puritans, buckling down just to manage life.

    Hawthorne offers a similar outline in "The Minister's Black Veil". The minister wears a veil for unknown reasons. Theories range from the minister's need to punish himself for some unknown sin to the minister's deliberate effort to force his congregation to acknowledge their own "veils". While the veil, and the feelings it stir among the town, create a palpable distance between the minister and his congregation there is really no change on the part of the minister. He may be

Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil" embodies the hidden sins that we all hide and that in turn distance us from the ones we love most. Reverend Hooper dons a black veil throughout this story, and never takes it off. He has discerned in everyone a dark, hidden self of secret sin. In wearing the veil Hooper dramatizes the isolation that each person experiences when they are chained down by their own sinful deeds. He has realizes that symbolically everyone can be found in the shadow of their own dark veil. Hooper in wearing this shroud across his face is only amplifying the dark side of people and the truth of human existence and nature.

Though the townsfolk are regretful of the minister's assumed crime, they negate this by partaking in sinful behavior themselves, on account of their own curiosity, and ultimately, their own fear. Hence, the minister’s veil not only changes the minister, but it changes the townsfolk as well, “each member of the congregation...felt as if the preacher had crept upon them, behind his awful veil, and discovered their hoarded iniquity of deed or thought” (2). Thus, the entire congregation fears the very sight of the minister’s veil, and the man of which used to win their admiration now has sinister implications surrounding himself. The aforementioned fear makes it apparent that every townsperson has dark secrets they would even try to hide from themselves.

The Minister’s Black Veil is a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1836. In this short story, Minister Mr. Hooper shows up one day at church wearing a black veil on his face. This black veil covers his face except his mouth and chin. The people of the town Milford begin to speculate on why Mr. Hooper wears this veil, whether he has been inflicted by an illness or if he is hiding a secret. When he refuses to remove the veil or tell the townspeople why he wears it, they become frightened of the Minister but also slightly intrigued. The children who use to run up to him now run and cower behind their mothers. Many people avoid conversations with him. However, the church becomes more packed every Sunday. People come all over just to gaze at Mr. Hooper, to see his veil. More people convert to his religion, saying, “QUOTE FROM BOOK PAGE 643*”. Although some people shun Mr. Hooper for being so public about his sins and secrets, others feel that this black veil that Mr. Hooper wears really helps them be better people, better Christians, knowing that everyone sins and that it is okay, as long as you do not hide it, and except it as human nature. Mr. Hooper wears the black veil from that day on. He dies wearing this black veil, never removing it or showing his face to anyone. The Minister’s Black Veil is one of many stories written by Nathaniel Hawthorne that symbolizes sin in a very public way.

Mr.Hooper, a minister who will not remove his veil, disturbs and shakes everyone in town out of comfort zones, not removing the veil until death petrifies everyone. Nathaniel Hawthorne's “The Minister's Black Veil” mysterious short story passes readers through a suspenseful journey in the book with different literary elements and themes. Hawthorne’s short story is strong in personification and symbolism; thus leading to the theme of self-power is stronger than the power of many.

The Congregation's Superstition causes rumors to spread that hurt not only the Minister's feelings, but his reputation as well. From the first moment they see the Veil, superstition overwhelms the Congregation. The Congregation never seems to stop coming up with new reasons for why the Veil is worn. Each new theory spreads throughout the town like wildfire. From church to their own home, their superstitious thoughts follow them everywhere they go. This in turn hinders them from learning the real truth behind the veil. The never ending cycle of superstition causes the Congregation to live in fear and worry. Their fear is caused by the unknown meaning of the veil. They came up with superstitious fables about the Minister. "A fable went the rounds that the stare of the dead people drove him thence. It grieved him, to the very depth of his kind heart, to observe how the children fled from his approach, breaking up their merriest sports, while his melancholy figure was yet afar off." (Hawthorne 5) The way the Congregation looked at the Minister, because of their superstition, saddened him greatly. This caused the Minister to live the rest of his life depressed and gloomy, surrounded by superstition. Superstition can ruin a life. The minister loved his congregation and because of their superstition towards him it ruined their outlook of him. No matter the Minister's bizarre covenant the congregation should not have used superstition against

Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote the “Minister’s Black Veil” as a story about a minister named Mr. Hooper, who was alienated by the people around him for wearing a black veil.This story is also a parable for it displays a moral and spiritual lesson, which is to not judge others for committing mistakes while one should accept his or her own misdeeds. The story started with a sexton pulling at the bell-rope at a meeting house in the village of Milford. Seconds later, a minister known as Reverend Hooper appeared. People who saw him were all astonished to see the minister with a black veil swathed about his forehead.When he delivered his sermon, everyone was more attentive than usual. He spoke about secret sins which initiated the suspicion amongst the congregation that he has committed a shameful act. Later in the day, Reverend Hooper, still wearing the veil, held a funeral service for a young lady. A rumor had started about how the corpse shuddered when the minister looked at it up close. After the funeral, Hooper conducted a wedding for

Although many in the congregation believe it is an atonement for some terrible sin he has committed, the reader discovers (on Hopper’s death bed) that he has chosen to wear the veil to reflect the hidden sins within himself, but reminds those nearby that all God’s creatures have

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short stories are strongly developed around his unique and powerful use of physical setting. Often the location and the time of day of the story speak as much -- if not more -- of the plot, giving a deeper meaning then just the outside world. However, this emphasis on the physical setting is not always present, as in “The Minister’s Black Veil.” Instead, Hawthorne here used primarily the psychological setting of the characters (and most of all with Parson Hooper) to create this masterpiece work that creates just as much an impact - if not more so -- than any physical setting could ever achieve. Hawthorne’s gift as a writer who knew the power of darkness is evident in his short story “The Minister’s Black Veil”.

The veil that the minister wears in "The Ministers Black Veil", by Nathanial Hawthorne represents the emphasis on man's inner reality, and those thoughts and feelings which are not immediately obvious. As Hawthorne explored this inner nature, he found the source of dignity and virtue, and certain elements of darkness. When the minister first walks out of his home wearing the veil, everyone is astonished. This one man in this village decides to be a nonconformist and wear this veil without explanation. No one understands why the minister would wear such a veil for no reason at all. This is where all the assumptions begin to linger. All of the villagers have a story for why the veil is there. These people are