In "Young Goodman Brown", Goodman Brown leaves his wife, Faith, for a midnight walk into the forest. It becomes apparent that his purpose is a dark one, and although he questions his journey, he continues on. He encounters an incarnation of what can only be the devil.
The devil appears as a "fellow-traveller", a respectable looking man, similar in appearance to Brown himself. The traveller uses a snake-like staff to encourage Brown further down the path. The devil leads Goodman Brown through the forest where they encounter respected members of Brown's community. Goody Cloyse, Brown's childhood catechism teacher, addresses the devil by name, and we see they know each other well. Cloyse makes reference to her use of a broomstick, wolfsbane and other tools of the black arts. In despair Brown grasps the Devil's staff and seems "to fly along the forest path." Levitation is a sure sign that dark forces are at work.
Satanic Symbolism
Hawthorne's forest is full witchcraft and satanic symbolism. Serpents, broomsticks, levitation and wolfsbane are all symbols of witchcraft, the dark arts and devil worship. Hawthorne uses these elements of the supernatural to weave a simple tale of a dark journey. But as with many examples of speculative fiction, "Young Goodman Brown" is more than a tale of witches and sorcery.
An Allegory on Life
Hawthorne uses the trappings of devil worship and witchcraft to express a much deeper message. Running parallel to Brown's walk through the forest is the story of Brown's awakening to the weakness and evil of mankind. He learns much about life on his journey, and we can interpret his trip as an allegory on life's journey itself.
Brown leaves the simple pleasures of his wife and home for a journey into sin. On his way, he meets the most trusted members of his faith, individuals beyond reproach. He learns that the minister, his catechism teacher and the deacon Gookin are all perpetrators of evil.
Brown must make a paradigm shift and in so doing his faith is shattered. He cannot confront the weakness, hypocrisy and evil of humanity without becoming cynical and miserable. He has failed to use the knowledge he gained on his journey to attain wisdom. This in itself a form of weakness and hypocrisy for we are all sinners, even Goodman Brown.
A Timeless Tale
As is always the case with the best works of fiction, Hawthorne’s work is timeless, not because it’s a scary story about witchcraft and devil worship but because it speaks to the human condition. It explores fears and desires that are as relevant today as they were in Hawthorne’s time.
Work Cited:
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "Young Goodman Brown." The Literature Network <http://www.online-literature.com/hawthorne/158/>
 |
