Despite his close relationship with the transcendentalist movement and its principles, Nathaniel Hawthorne conveys his opinions in a darker manner than many of his counterparts. Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Emerson express their ideas in an optimistic fashion, often focusing on not only the beauty and purity of nature but also the innate goodness of the individual. Hawthorne however, took a much different approach; in his story entitled "The Minister in the Black Veil" his more gothic technique can be observed. This story focuses on a town’s reaction to a once beloved minister making what they view as an odd decision, to wear a black veil. At the onset of the story the church goers are immediately put off by the presence of the veil. Prior to wearing the veil, Minister Hooper was viewed as an approachable man. However, not a single person in his congregation, other than his wife, questions him about his veil. Throughout the story Hawthorne utilizes words with negative connotations, and makes observances about the townspeople’s behavior to add to what seems to be his overall message: mankind is not as innately good as many once thought.
In “The Minister’s Black Veil” Hawthorne makes multiple statements regarding human virtue, one of the most powerful occurs right after the minister’s first sermon while wearing the veil. After leaving the church the minister followed custom and greeted all in his congregation but these actions were not met with the typical reaction; “Strange and bewildered looks repaid him for his courtesy. None, as on former occasions, aspired to the honor of walking by their pastor's side. Old Squire Saunders…. neglected to invite Mr. Hooper to his table, where the good clergyman had been wont to bless the food, almost every Sunday since his settlement”(Hawthorne 2). This quote seems to demonstrate the how inherently judgmental people are. The minister made one change in his routine, wearing a veil, while retaining all other aspects and fellowship was quick to turn on him. This seemingly suggests that human nature is not intuitively good and accepting instead, at the emergence of possibility that another individual is different from the norm the general public is quick to turn its back on them.
Hawthorne seems to suggest that the reason individuals so easily disavow those who are openly different is because everyone has their own vices that they refuse to show. This can be observed when Elizabeth questions Minister Hooper about his veil, “I, perhaps, like most other mortals, have sorrows dark enough to be typified by a black veil" (Hawthorne 5). In this quote Minister Hooper appears to say that all people, including himself a man of God, have evil within them. Another instance in which this principle of humans housing immorality within themselves occurs when Mr. Hooper utters his final words in his death bed, “"Why do you tremble at me alone?" cried he..."Tremble also at each other! Have men avoided me, and women shown no pity, and children screamed and fled, only for my black veil? What, but the mystery which it obscurely typifies, has made this piece of crape so awful? When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend; the lover to his best beloved; when man does not vainly shrink from the eye of his Creator, loathsomely treasuring up the secret of his sin; then deem me a monster, for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die! I look around me, and, lo! On every visage a Black Veil!”(Hawthorne 8). This quote is arguably the most potent out of all the arguments made by Hawthorne regarding human nature in this story. With this quote Minister Hooper essentially describes the fallacy that can be observed in human behavior, when it is identified that an individual contains sins that warrant “wearing a black veil” society easily renounces them, however those same people that rejected those with sin and darkness contain both within themselves. The darkness can be observed in their actions towards those who they repudiate, as well as in other instances in their lives.
While Hawthorne sheds a very different light on the concept of human nature than Emerson or Thoreau, he seems to maintain some traditional aspects by making references to other pillars of transcendentalism. He places some importance on nature and God, thus upholding running themes throughout other transcendentalist writings. Despite this, it is nearly indisputable that Hawthorne views human nature in a more Gothic manner than the preceding transcendentalist text, by making the argument that nearly everyone conceals their wickedness that lingers in their very nature.
In “The Minister’s Black Veil” Hawthorne makes multiple statements regarding human virtue, one of the most powerful occurs right after the minister’s first sermon while wearing the veil. After leaving the church the minister followed custom and greeted all in his congregation but these actions were not met with the typical reaction; “Strange and bewildered looks repaid him for his courtesy. None, as on former occasions, aspired to the honor of walking by their pastor's side. Old Squire Saunders…. neglected to invite Mr. Hooper to his table, where the good clergyman had been wont to bless the food, almost every Sunday since his settlement”(Hawthorne 2). This quote seems to demonstrate the how inherently judgmental people are. The minister made one change in his routine, wearing a veil, while retaining all other aspects and fellowship was quick to turn on him. This seemingly suggests that human nature is not intuitively good and accepting instead, at the emergence of possibility that another individual is different from the norm the general public is quick to turn its back on them.
Hawthorne seems to suggest that the reason individuals so easily disavow those who are openly different is because everyone has their own vices that they refuse to show. This can be observed when Elizabeth questions Minister Hooper about his veil, “I, perhaps, like most other mortals, have sorrows dark enough to be typified by a black veil" (Hawthorne 5). In this quote Minister Hooper appears to say that all people, including himself a man of God, have evil within them. Another instance in which this principle of humans housing immorality within themselves occurs when Mr. Hooper utters his final words in his death bed, “"Why do you tremble at me alone?" cried he..."Tremble also at each other! Have men avoided me, and women shown no pity, and children screamed and fled, only for my black veil? What, but the mystery which it obscurely typifies, has made this piece of crape so awful? When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend; the lover to his best beloved; when man does not vainly shrink from the eye of his Creator, loathsomely treasuring up the secret of his sin; then deem me a monster, for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die! I look around me, and, lo! On every visage a Black Veil!”(Hawthorne 8). This quote is arguably the most potent out of all the arguments made by Hawthorne regarding human nature in this story. With this quote Minister Hooper essentially describes the fallacy that can be observed in human behavior, when it is identified that an individual contains sins that warrant “wearing a black veil” society easily renounces them, however those same people that rejected those with sin and darkness contain both within themselves. The darkness can be observed in their actions towards those who they repudiate, as well as in other instances in their lives.
While Hawthorne sheds a very different light on the concept of human nature than Emerson or Thoreau, he seems to maintain some traditional aspects by making references to other pillars of transcendentalism. He places some importance on nature and God, thus upholding running themes throughout other transcendentalist writings. Despite this, it is nearly indisputable that Hawthorne views human nature in a more Gothic manner than the preceding transcendentalist text, by making the argument that nearly everyone conceals their wickedness that lingers in their very nature.