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Psychological setting in Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil
Psychological setting in Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil
Nathaniel hawthorne " the ministers black veil" main purpose
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Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author who wrote, “The Minister’s Black Veil,” had a more effective sermon than the sermon that Jonathan Edwards wrote, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”Hawthorne demonstrated his sermon by not only preaching to his members, but by also wearing a black veil which symbolized secret sin. On the other hand, Edwards just preached to his congregation of sinners that the only thing standing between them and hell, is God himself. The two themes both were similar because they both casted out a life lesson behind their sermon. The theme in “The Minister’s Black Veil” was that everyone has a secret sin; people focus too much on appearance of sinfulness instead of focusing on their problem of being quick to judge others.The theme in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” was that God has the power to send his people to hell if they don't repent.Correspondingly, the audience of each sermon were very shocked and disturbed at how they represented themselves just to get their point across. …show more content…
In addition, he also used very offensive word by telling the audience that “...hell is gaping for them”(Edwards 8-9). Hawthorne goes on to show his Puritans that no matter how righteous a person might look, everyone has a sin that knocks them down to the same level as everyone else, Hawthorne does this by having his main character, Rev. Hooper say, “ I look around me, and lo! On every visage a Black Veil”(Hawthorne 492). Hawthorne’s choice of diction also helped develop a well-structured
“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards and “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne are both 1700s Puritan works of literature with similarities, as well as differences, from their theme to tone and to what type of literary work they are. Edwards and Hawthorne are both expressing the topics of how people are all sinners, especially in regards to their congregation and that questions their congregation’s faith.
(Edwards,Pg,25) (which is a metaphor) has a very powerful effect on the reader. His diction was blunt,straight forward and aggressive, also something that made it a very powerful text. Although Edwards style was more effective, some may argue that Hawthorne's style is better. Since he used 3rd person omniscient, the reader could see all the feelings and actions of many people. “Lift the veil but once and look me in the face” (Hawthorne,Pg,109) this is a line that someone said the the main character.
His style was older and he used third person omniscient. Hawthorne has alarmed his congregation, when he walked into church. He continued doing everything the same way he did things on a normal sunday. The text states that “Few could refrain from from twisting their heads towards the door; many stood upright, and turned directly about;” His congregation isn't use to seeing him with a black veil over his face. As soon as he walked in they started talking about him. The black stood for something and instead of Hawthorne, speaking to them he also did something physical.
In the first few weeks of class we have discussed the thought and religion of the early people that first began the development of our counrty. As we have looked at the literature in class the works of these writers seem to be simlar in that each one talks about a higher being that these people all worshipped. However, that is where the comparisons would end. One of the writings that I found interesting was that of Jonathan Edwards. Born in 1703 in East Windsor, Connecticut, Jonathan Edwards lived at a time when the Calvinistic Puritanism of the American colonies, particularly New England, was giving way to thoughts coming out of Europe. We had discussed in one of first classes the reason that so many of the laws and rights found here in the United States were the same as in Europe. The reason was for this is because that is where the people of early America came from. This is the reason for the large population of people believing in these thoughts and beliefs coming from Europe.
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God is an eye-opening sermon to many and an even greater eye opener to the unbelieving. Not only is it seen as controversial for the time, but many people disagreed with it. The entire sermon seemed to be based on one or two verses from the Bible, and many thought they were not used in the proper context. There were many emotions during the sermon that need to be explored further.
Jonathan Edwards's sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is moving and powerful. His effectiveness as an eighteenth century New England religious leader is rooted in his expansive knowledge of the Bible and human nature, as well as a genuine desire to "awaken" and save as many souls as possible. This sermon, delivered in 1741, exhibits Edwards's skillful use of these tools to persuade his congregation to join him in his Christian beliefs.
Jonathan Edwards is able to use powerful scare tactics to convince his congregation to undergo an emotional conversion. Edwards is a Christian preacher and theologian who stimulated the “Great Awakening.” Edwards is known for using powerful language; he creates images of absolute horror and images of delight. Edwards uses specific wording that lingers in his listeners mind. In Jonathan Edwards’s sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Edwards’s use of negative imagery, negative diction, and positive imagery and diction is able to convince the congregation to undergo an emotional conversion.
“Their foot shall slide in due time.” This biblical verse is core to Jonathan Edwards’ speech to the congregation in several churches. Edwards preaches against nonbelievers, warning them of their imminent retribution from God. He highlights that God’s wrath is upon them and will annihilate their entire being to the highest degree. Through a complex incorporation of various descriptive imagery tools, Edward invokes fear and despondence to his audience; his audience are bullied into believing in his God. Edward provides requisite imagery through well structured arguments, use of relevant evidence, and appeal to fear.
Jonathan Edwards wrote and preached the sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God in the year 1741. His sermon made many people in his congregation believe they were headed to hell unless they turned to God. As Pastor Jonathan preached this sermon to his congregation, he presented it in a monotonous voice so that people there just payed attention to the words that were said. Edwards did this by using different types of persuasion. The sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards made people turn to God because it showed just how terrifying of a place hell is. He made it known that unless someone is “born again” then that person will one day end up with eternal damnation in hell. Edwards argued that people
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “The Minister’s Black Veil”, the reader is introduced to Parson Hooper, the reverend of a small Puritan village. One Sunday morning, Hooper arrived to mass with a black veil over his impassive face. The townspeople began to feel uneasy due to their minister’s unusual behavior. When Parson appeared, “Few could refrain from twisting their heads towards the door; many stood upright….” (Monteiro 2). Throughout the story Hooper does not take off the black veil and the townspeople, including Reverend Clark from a nearby village, treat him as if he were contagious disease. A veil typically is used to represent sorrow, but in this story it is used to represent hidden sins. No one exactly knows why he
In “The Minister’s Black Veil,” for example, Hawthorne describes how, “perhaps the palefaced congregation was almost as fearful a sight to the minister, as his black veil to them”(2). This directly contrasts the “light” faces of the members of the congregation with the darkness of the minister’s veil. By stating that the minister was just as afraid of the people as the people were of him, Hawthorne indicates that the people fear the minister due to the abrupt reveal of his mysterious sin, but the minister also somewhat fears the people and the secrets they hold deep within their hearts. The people of the town are supposedly pure and innocent, yet it is clear that many of the citizens carry the burden of their own evils. Although the minister boldly comes forward with his own sin, he still feels the pain of the loneliness, scorn, and spite that has come with his statement. Hawthorne represents the discomfort the guilty townspeople feel when in the presence of Mr. Hooper when he describes how they were, “conscious of lighter spirits the moment they lost sight of the black veil” (3). Once again, this use of light and dark imagery supports Hawthorne’s argument that people, even those who claim to be pure and innocent, are capable of sin. The townspeople in Mr. Hooper’s community feel the burden of their own sins when they come in
Jonathan Edwards, the author of “Sinners in the hands of an angry God” cunningly made his style more effective than Nathaniel Hawthorne's style in “The Ministers of the Black Veil.” Edwards used more of an aggressive style which worked better than Hawthorne’s sad and laid back style.
The book of “Sinners” is a story that is trying to tell the audience to not not test or fool with god sins, or he will dempt you to hell. “ if you don't repent your sins you will be dempt to hell.” stated in the quote. How these two stories compare? The “Black Veil” also gave its similar point across. The dreadful, monotone, preacher with no hope. He wouldn't dare in the world to take his veil off, he refuse to not listen what others say. Quoted “ my soul feels like a lock up prison” represents how the story of “sinners” you will be dempt to hell, and Mr.Hooper's mood now is he feels like his soul is lock up in a prison which can relate to hell.
Throughout Nathaniel Hawthorne 's literary work, The Minister 's Black Veil, the sensation of the veil, the separation it creates from good things in life, and the persistence of the black veil on earth symbolize sin in mankind. During the whole parable, Mr. Hooper is restrained by the black veil and cannot live a free, enjoyable life. Also, people around him cannot tolerate the overwhelming, dark feeling that the black veil generates. Similarly, sin can take over people’s lives and create a feeling of hopelessness and gloom. Hawthorne’s parable overall demonstrates power and impact of sin on
In the short story, “The Minister’s Black Veil,” Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the Mr. Hooper’s black veil and the words that can describe between him and the veil. Hawthorne demonstrates how a black veil can describe as many words. Through the story, Hawthorne introduces the reader to Mr. Hooper, a parson in Milford meeting-house and a gentlemanly person, who wears a black veil. Therefore, Mr. Hooper rejects from his finance and his people, because they ask him to move the veil, but he does not want to do it. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil”, Mr. Hooper’s black veil symbolizes sins, darkness, and secrecy in order to determine sins that he cannot tell to anyone, darkness around his face and neighbors, and secrecy about the black veil.