Summary of The Minister's Black Veil
A Synopsis of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Ambiguous Short Story
It is important to note that the symbol of the veil in The Minister’s Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne has a precedent in the story of a Mr. Joseph Moody. Mr. Moody, a clergyman, accidentally killed a friend. From the day he killed his friend until the day of his death, he hid his face behind a veil.
An Extraordinary Sunday
The story begins by describing the habitual routines of the citizens of Milford on a Sunday morning. The sexton pulls the bell-pull calling everyone to the meetinghouse. There is the typical Sunday morning hubbub of people walking to church in their Sunday best clothes
The sexton pulls away at the rope, waiting for the minister to leave his home. When the Reverend Mr. Hooper is on his way to church it is time for the sexton to stop ringing the bell. However, on this Sunday the sexton receives a surprise and he calls out asking, “what has good Parson Hooper got upon his face?”
Suddenly, everyone’s routine is disrupted.
A Disrupted Gathering
The congregation is amazed. Mr. Hooper was as neatly dressed as always. The only thing different about him was the black veil, which hung down before his face. Some congregates hardly believed it was their Mr. Hooper, others felt he had changed into something awful and still others believed him to have gone mad. The church was unusually noisy as the minister entered because everyone shifted position to gawk at the change in their minister. Some women with weak emotions were forced to leave the meeting.
During the entire service, Mr. Hooper never removed the veil. It shook as he spoke, hid his face while he read the Bible, and lay heavily on his face when he prayed. The narrator inserts into the story the question of whether the minister was trying to hide from God.
Mr. Hooper
Mr. Hooper was a good, gentle, peaceful minister. He was sincere in his effort to lead people to heaven but he did it quietly rather than forcefully as a fire and brimstone minister would. The effect of his veil made his sermon much more powerful. Mr. Hooper’s manner of delivery had not changed but the veil seemed to breathe a ‘subtle power’ into his words and an “unsought pathos came hand in hand with awe.”
Separation and Isolation
After church, Mr. Hooper was left alone. In the past members of the congregation would walk home with him or invite him to their homes for a meal. Not today. Their fear and neglect causes the minister to pause at his door and smile a sad smile.
The Funeral and a Wedding
That same day, the citizens of Milford celebrated a funeral and a wedding. At the funeral, a superstitious old woman reports that when Mr. Hooper leaned over the corpse the corpse had shuddered. No one could confirm her report.
During a wedding that same evening, a strange event occurred, which everyone wedding celebration could confirm. When Reverend Hooper raised his glass to toast the happy couple, he saw his veiled face in the mirror. He shuddered, dropped the glass of wine and left the assembly.
Trying to Understand the Veil
The veil has captured the imagination of everyone in town. Even the children were obsessed with it. One boy covered his face with a veil to scare his classmates. The genuine fear of his classmates’ response frightens the prankster so badly he nearly looses his wits.
Mr. Hooper had always been very approachable for his congregation. However, even the most confirmed busy-bodies and gossips would not discuss his unusual headgear with him, consequently, a party of church members are sent to talk to him about it. Their mission failed and they left his presence without discussing the veil.
Finally, Mr. Hooper’s fiancé, Elizabeth confronts him about the veil. She confirms that there is nothing physically unusual about the veil and that the only thing wrong with it was that it hid the face of the man she loves. Mr. Hooper responds that he will wear it until the day when all veils are cast aside (in heaven at the second coming). Elizabeth questions him explicitly mentioning the rumors and scandalous stories of the townspeople. Nothing convinces Hooper to share his purpose for wearing the veil.
Elizabeth moves to leave and Hooper begs her to stay and not to leave him in “this miserable obscurity for ever!” Elizabeth says she will stay if he shows his face. He refuses and so she leaves.
A Persistent Habit
No one ever again attempts to discover the secret of the veil or try to convince Hooper to remove it. Children were frightened of him. Yet no one hated the veil more than Reverend Hooper. He avoided mirrors and fountains so as not to see his reflection.
Despite the drawbacks of the veil, it did yield one positive result. Mr. Hooper was a very effective minister of God’s word. Those who were converted by him felt that they had been behind the veil with Mr. Hooper until he led them out into the celestial light. Dying sinners would hang-on until Mr. Hooper appeared. Strangers would travel for great distances to hear his sermons.
Reverend Hooper Dies
As Mr. Hooper was dying, his only nurse was Elizabeth. Mr. Clark the parson of Westbury attended his deathbed. As death drew near, the young minister asked if he could remove the veil. Hooper seems to agree but when Clark attempts to move it Hooper stops him. Ooper asks those around his deathbed why they are afraid of him and his veil. He says they should be afraid of each other as well as be afraid of him because everyone hides their true selves from each other.
No one ever again attempts to remove his veil and Mr. Hooper is buried with it. Some believe that while Mr. Hooper has returned to dust, as everyone must, his dust still lies beneath the Black Veil.
Read more about Nathaniel Hawthorne and his writing at Suite101.
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