Characters in The Minister's Black Veil
The Three Title Roles In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Short Story
Oct 9, 2009
There are three characters in "The Minister’s Black Veil" who not only are given names but take an active role in the plot and give the reader clues as to how he should read Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic short story.
Rev. Mr. Hooper
Rev. Mr. Hooper is a minister to a small congregation in the town of Milford. He is a quiet, peaceful, minister. The narrator suggests, but doesn’t explicitly say, that Rev. Hooper is so meek and mild that he is very ineffective in his role as shepherd. Despite his shortcomings, he seems loved by his people.
However, everything changes when one Sunday, Mr. Hooper walks to the meetinghouse with his face covered by a veil. The response of the congregation is mixed. Some believe he has gone mad, others think that he is hiding a secret sin, and still others don’t know what to think.
Hooper’s fiancé Elizabeth attempts to get him to either remove the veil or explain the veil but Hooper will do neither. Consequently, Elizabeth leaves him. Mr. Hooper lives the rest of his life emotionally and physically separated from his congregation as a result of that veil.
When he is about to die the Rev. Mr. Clark attempts to remove it but Hooper doesn’t allow him to do so. And after stopping Clark, Hooper explains a small portion of the veil’s purpose. It is a symbol of mankind’s secret sins. He claims that everyone has a veil that he hides his secrets and true face behind.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth is Mr. Hooper’s fiancé at the time of his donning the black veil. She examines it closely and determines that it is nothing but ordinary fabric and not something with magical properties. She concludes that the only bad thing about the veil is that it hides the face of her beloved. She asks him to remove it.
When he refuses and explains that she will never see it removed from his face, she tries to wheedle an explanation out of him. His response to all her questions is summarized “If I hide my face for sorrow, there is cause enough…and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same.” Finally, Elizabeth is silent. As she tries to figure out a new way to get him to reveal the purpose of the veil, she suddenly becomes aware of terror at the sight of it. A terror of the veil overcomes Elizabeth just as it had the rest of Hooper’s congregation.
She decides to leave. Hooper begs her to stay. She offers to stay on the condition that he removes the veil and looks her in the face; when he refuses, Elizabeth leaves him. However, it is apparent that her love of Mr. Hooper is abiding. She is his nurse at his deathbed.
Rev. Mr. Clark
Mr. Clark is a young cleric from the nearby town of Westbury. The narrator describes him as a young and zealous divine. He arrived quickly when called to Mr. Hooper’s deathbed. As Mr. Hooper’s condition declines and it becomes clear that he is very near to death. Mr. Clark asks if the veil can be lifted.
Clark suggests to Hooper that he ought to lift his veil so that those around him can see his ‘triumphant aspect’ at death and also so that the shadow of the veil is not the last memory to blacken his pure life in the eyes of the mourners. After he suggests this, he attempts to remove the veil. Hooper rallies enough to prevent him from doing so.
Clark is frightened and accuses him of being a “Dark old man!” who hides a horrible crime which, unconfessed, will pass with him into eternity.
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