26 pages 52 minutes read

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Young Goodman Brown

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1835

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Story Analysis

Analysis: “Young Goodman Brown”

Hawthorne’s story is an allegory—a story that reveals hidden meaning and morals—about religious hypocrisy in Puritan New England at the time of the Salem Witch Trials. It is a cautionary tale that explores the dark side of human behavior and sin. The most sinful individuals are those who follow the devil, and they continually lure those who are good, in this case the Puritans who are tasked with maintaining a sin-free society. Hawthorne illustrates that despite following Puritan teachings, even the most faithful individuals are lured to evil, and if they resist, evil will come to them. Though the Puritans seek to dispel individuals “possessed” by the devil, the story suggests that they are as vulnerable to evil as those who willingly follow it. Alternatively, people who question their faith are destined to live an unfulfilling and miserable life.

Goodman Brown loves his wife Faith and is prepared to “cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven” (1) upon his return. The central conflict, however, is established in the opening paragraphs. Brown wants to remain with Faith, but he is compelled to enter the wilderness on a secret errand that tests his faith in religion and in his community.

Related Titles

By Nathaniel Hawthorne

Study Guide

logo

Dr. Heidegger's Experiment

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Dr. Heidegger's Experiment

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Study Guide

logo

Ethan Brand

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Ethan Brand

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Study Guide

logo

My Kinsman Major Molineux

Nathaniel Hawthorne

My Kinsman Major Molineux

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Study Guide

logo

The Ambitious Guest

Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Ambitious Guest

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Study Guide

logo

The Artist of the Beautiful

Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Artist of the Beautiful

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Study Guide

logo

The Blithedale Romance

Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Blithedale Romance

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Study Guide

logo

The Hollow of the Three Hills

Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Hollow of the Three Hills

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Study Guide

logo

The House of the Seven Gables

Nathaniel Hawthorne

The House of the Seven Gables

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Study Guide

logo

The Marble Faun

Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Marble Faun

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Study Guide

logo

The Maypole Of Merry Mount

Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Maypole Of Merry Mount

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Study Guide

logo

The Minister's Black Veil

Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Minister's Black Veil

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Study Guide

logo

The Wives of the Dead

Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Wives of the Dead

Nathaniel Hawthorne