What is the problem in the ministers Black Veil?
The fact that it is a veil, which traditionally has a purpose is to conceal one’s face, implies that the minister’s black veil symbolizes secret sin. Hawthorne uses this symbolism to imply that man is inherently sinful; if a minister could potentially guilty of sin, so can others.
What is the point of view of the Minister's Black Veil?
The narrative point of view of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil" is primarily third-person limited. Hawthorne does steer his narrator into omniscience as he describes the townspeople speculating about Reverend Hooper's veil and feeling like unindicted co-conspirators in secret sin.
Why did the Minister wear the Black Veil?
Why did the minister wear a black veil? The minister wears a black veil to hide his face from other people. In symbolic terms, he does this because he has come to understand that, as we are all sinful, we hide our sins from each other and from ourselves by an invisible veil.
What is the conflict in the ministers Black Veil?
What is the conflict in the Minister's Black Veil? The conflict in this story is Man vs. The people. The conflict involving pride and humility, sin and evil. -Wearing a veil is the Rev. What does the black veil symbolize? The black veil is a symbol of secret sin and how terrible human nature can be.
Who are the characters in The Minister's black veil?
The main characters in “The Minister's Black Veil” are Reverend Mr. Hooper, Elizabeth, and Reverend Clark....Hooper, Elizabeth, and Reverend Clark.Reverend Mr. Hooper is the reverend of the Puritan town of Milford. ... Elizabeth is Mr. Hooper's fiancée. ... Reverend Mr.
Who is Elizabeth in The Minister's black veil?
Elizabeth is Hooper's fiancée at the beginning of the story. After he begins wearing his veil, she is the only person in Milford who isn't immediately afraid of him.
What does the minister symbolize in The Minister's black veil?
The black veil is a symbol of secret sin and how terrible human nature can be. This could represent the secret sin that all people carry in their hearts, or it could be a representation of Mr. Hooper's specific sin, which some readers think to be adultery.
What is Mr Hooper secret sin?
First, character reveals that the minister's secret sin is adultery. When Reverend Hooper's fiancée ask him why he chooses to wear the black veil he fails to give an answer. His refusal to provide an explanation reveals that his character is secretive.
How old is Mr Hooper in The Minister's black veil?
Answer and Explanation: Hooper is a young minister who is likely in his late-20s or early-30s.
Why did Mr Hooper wear the veil?
We can say that, by overtly wearing a visible black veil, Rev. Hooper discloses to his parishioners that he is not disclosing to them his particular (i.e., concrete, individual) sins. In doing this, of course, he does confess the abstract fact that he is sinful.
What is the irony in the Minister's Black Veil?
Irony. Irony occurs when reality is the opposite of what was expected. In “The Minister's Black Veil,” Mr. Hooper wears the black veil to teach the residents that all humans are tainted by Original Sin and to criticize people's secrecy with others and with God.
What is the main theme of the Minister's Black Veil?
secret sinIts primary theme is secret sin, which is symbolized by the veil that Mr. Hooper wears. We learn at the end that the veil actually suggests that we all have secret sins.
What are some symbols in the Minister's Black Veil?
Allegorically, the veil is a symbol of the sin that separates people from God, and from each other. Since every person sins, every person is separated from perfection by the guilt and secrecy of their own veiled sins.
What reasons does Hooper give Elizabeth not to desert him?
Due to his refusal to remove the veil, Hooper risks his relationship with his fiancee, Elizabeth. He wants Elizabeth to have patience with him and not desert him during this time because it will not be for eternity but he does not want to lift the veil.
What does the veil symbolize in the story?
Hawthorne uses the black veil to symbolize the many forms of sin that people have. The Minister, Parson Hooper, wears the veil form the time the story begins to his death at the end, hoping that his congregation comes to realize why he is wearing it, though they never truly do come to those realizations.
What does Hooper mean when he says the veil is mortal and there is an hour to come when all of us shall cast aside our veils?
What does Hooper mean when he says "the veil is mortal "and" There is an hour to come when all of us shall cast aside our veils"? This means there will be a judgment time that everyone's secrets will be shown.
Why is Elizabeth described as a faithful woman in the final scene?
Why is Elizabeth described as a "faithful woman" in the final scene? She is described as faithful because she stayed by Mr. Hooper's side, and while she did not fully understand him wearing the veil, she still loved him. Go through the story and count all the references to Mr.
What are some symbols in the Minister's black veil?
Allegorically, the veil is a symbol of the sin that separates people from God, and from each other. Since every person sins, every person is separated from perfection by the guilt and secrecy of their own veiled sins.
What happens to people who come to stare at Mr Hooper's black veil?
Children would flee when they saw him coming, and people felt fearful and distant in his presence.
Why does Mr Hooper refuse to take off the veil on his deathbed?
Hooper take off his veil when he was on his death bed? He didn't take off his veil because he wanted people to acknowledge sin and this was his way of saying that he has sinned.
What does Hooper teach the townspeople?
Communion of sinners: Hooper leads the townspeople in realizing that everyone shares sin no matter how much they try to avoid facing it. All people sin and it is up to them whether they face their sin or ignore it. Hooper tries to teach a lesson. In content, the lesson may be very much like the sermon on "secret sin" Hooper was scheduled to teach, but the townspeople are uncomfortable with the medium. The veil is something they have to see every day, rather than a sermon just once or twice a week.
What is the benefit of the veil?
The one positive benefit of the veil is that Mr. Hooper becomes a more efficient clergyman, gaining many converts who feel that they too are behind the black veil with him. Dying sinners call out for him alone. Mr. Hooper lives his life thus, though he is promoted to Father, until his death.
What is the lesson Hooper tries to teach?
Hooper tries to teach a lesson. In content, the lesson may be very much like the sermon on "secret sin" Hooper was scheduled to teach, but the townspeople are uncomfortable with the medium. The veil is something they have to see every day, rather than a sermon just once or twice a week.
What is the veil symbol in the story?
While the veil is the main symbol in the story, it is also ironic. Hooper, in his stubborn use of the veil parable of one sin, is unconsciously guilty of a greater sin: that of egotistically warping the total meaning of life.
Why is Hooper considered an arch villain?
John H. Timmerman notes that because of Hawthorne's writing style Hooper's insistent use of the black veil, Hooper stands as one of his arch-villains. This is from Hooper's act of separating himself from the rest of humanity and denying his love for Elizabeth in favor of the veil.
What is the hidden nature of guilt?
Hidden nature of guilt: Hooper arouses in a sermon the notion of secret sin and the sad mysteries in which we hide from our nearest and dearest. Hooper acknowledges the problem of sin, the guilt that is admitted openly, and the guilt of sin that is repressed or hidden from the world.
Why do the townspeople grow uncomfortable with Hawthorne?
The townspeople grow uncomfortable with him because they start to become aware of their own sin. Hawthorne keeps the motive of the veil unknown to the reader. But the interpretation of the story generally rests on some moral assessment or explanation of the minister's symbolic self-veiling.
Why does Hawthorne say that Moody is a minister?
Hawthorne explains that Moody, a minister of a town in Maine, does so because he accidentally killed his friend as a young man. Hawthorne adds, cryptically, that Hooper’s veil has a different meaning than Moody’s. Reverend Clark, a young priest from the nearby town of Westbury, is standing by Hooper ’s bedside when he dies.
Who is Squire Saunders?
Squire Saunders. An old member of the Milford community who usually invites Hooper to dine with him after services, but doesn’t do so in the story because, it is strongly implied, once Hooper starts wearing the veil .
Who is the protagonist in the minister's black veil?
Reverend Hooper. The protagonist of “The Minister’s Black Veil,” Hooper is a young, mild-mannered preacher in the town of Milford. However, one day, without giving an explicit reason, he begins wearing a black veil that covers his… read analysis of Reverend Hooper.
Who is Hooper's fiancée?
Elizabeth. Elizabeth is Hooper ’s fiancée at the beginning of the story. After he begins wearing his veil, she is the only person in Milford who isn’t immediately afraid of him. When Hooper refuses to… read analysis of Elizabeth.
Who is Reverend Clark?
Reverend Clark, a young priest from the nearby town of Westbury, is standing by Hooper ’s bedside when he dies. He asks Hooper what crime caused him to hide his face, and listens in shock and amazement to Hooper’s response.
Why is Hawthorne's sermon about sin so impressive?
His sermon about sin is unusually impressive, at least partly because his intimidating presence makes the townspeople feel guilty. Hawthorne leaves it unclear how much of the difference is in Hooper’s sermon and how much is in the townspeople’s own minds, impacted by their own fear of the black veil. Active Themes.
What does the town people say about Hooper's veil?
The townspeople mutter their disapproval of Hooper ’s black veil. The sexton says he doesn’t feel as if Hooper’s face is really behind the veil, and others wonder if Hooper has gone mad. Hooper delivers his sermon, wearing his veil the entire time, almost as if he is trying to hide from God.
How does Hooper's veil affect the town?
The veil distances him from his congregation, and this distancing goes both ways: the townspeople cannot see his face, and he can see theirs with less clarity.
What does it mean when Hooper keeps his veil on?
When he keeps it on, it suggests that he is sacrificing his own pleasure for the sake of the veil, even if it’s not clear why. Active Themes.
What does Hooper do at the funeral?
Hooper gives the afternoon service, which includes a funeral service for a young woman. Hooper’s black veil seems appropriate for the occasion. When he bends over the woman’s coffin, his veil hangs down, so that if the woman were alive she would be able to see his face, but he quickly covers himself again. A superstitious old woman notes that the woman’s corpse seems to shudder slightly when Hooper looks at it.
Why did the townspeople leave the church?
The townspeople leave the church, eager to discuss Hooper’s veil. Some “profane the Sabbath day” by laughing at it; some maintain that Hooper has weak eyes and needs to restore his sight. The town physician says that Hooper may be losing his mind, and adds that he looks ghostly.
Why did Edgar Allan Poe wear a veil?
Edgar Allan Poe thought that the young woman was Hooper’s love, and her death was the true reason why he wore a veil. While this interpretation is plausible (that Hooper begins wearing the veil on the same day that she’s buried suggests that the two events could be linked), the fact that we feel the need to “explain” Hooper’s behavior suggests that, like the townspeople, we’re more comfortable with believing that Hooper has sinned than we are with thinking that the veil might be a symbol or indication that everyone has, that we have. In any event, Hooper demonstrates his commitment to hiding his face, even shielding it from someone who can’t possibly look back.
What is the veil that Mr Hooper wears?
Mr Hooper, a minister in the town of Milford, Connecticut, shocks his parishioners one Sunday when he turns up to deliver his sermon wearing a black veil. This veil, which is semi-transparent, largely obscures much of his face, leaving only his mouth fully visible. His parishioners are amazed by this, and start to chatter about why he has started wearing such a veil. Hooper’s sermon that day is on ‘secret sin’. After the sermon, Hooper continues to wear the veil while officiating at the funeral of a young woman, and then, the same night, at a wedding.
Why does Hooper tell Clark to not be scared of his veil?
When he is confronted about it, Hooper tells them that they should not be scared by his veil alone, because when he looks at them, they are all wearing black veils too.
Why does Hooper commit the sin of pride?
And some critics of Hawthorne’s story have detected an irony at work: in making his veil a supposed symbol for the sin that lurks within mankind, Hooper actually commits the sin of pride, because by wearing such a symbol he is making a virtue out of something designed to humble the wearer. In other words, in his determination to show how virtuously ...
What does the narrator tell us about Hooper's first sermon?
The narrator tells us of Hooper’s first sermon, on the day he first appears in public with the veil on: The subject had reference to secret sin and those sad mysteries which we hide from our nearest and dearest, and would fain conceal from our own consciousness, even forgetting that the Omniscient can detect them.
Why did Moody wear a black veil?
Moody accidentally killed a friend when he was a young man and took to wearing a black veil as penance for the rest of his life. This historical case may have provided the germ of the story, but Hawthorne constructs a far more symbolic tale from it.
What is the theme of the story of the black veil?
The key theme of the story, above all others, is sin. More specifically, the black veil which Hooper adopts represents ‘secret sin’ , a phrase which recurs a number of times in this short tale. Curiously, Hawthorne was inspired to write the story by reading about a real-life case of a Revd. Joseph Moody (1700-53), who became known as ‘Handkerchief ...
Why does Hooper commit another sin?
In other words, in his determination to show how virtuously aware of his and others’ sin he is, Hooper commits another sin, because he is proud to parade his humility about the place. True humility does not wish to be admired or noticed, and true penance is not performative but meekly undertaken.
What does the minister's veil symbolize?
Secrets play a big role in this story. The minister's veil symbolizes the secret sin that he is hiding from everyone, and that is to show that everyone else is hiding their sin as well.
How did the Chruch effect others?
It had a powerful effect on others, helping NEW CONVERTS to see the gravity of their sin and want to be more pure. People visited the chruch from afar.
Why did Rev drop the wine?
people hoped Rev would be joyful. but as he gave the toast, he droped the wine because he saw a reflection of himself in the mirror and ran out into the darkness.
Does the town like the change in the minister?
No, the town does not like the change in the minister. They think he has turned himself into something awful and scary just by wearing a black veil over his face.
Did the church ask Rev. to remove the veil?
They sent deputies of the church to talk to Rev. but they never asked him to remove the veil and they didn't want to talk to him with the veil in front of his face...they all simply stared.
Do church members like the veil?
The church member's do not like the veil. They think it is strange and scary, and they think something is wrong with Mr. Hooper.
Overview
Development and publication history
Hawthorne may have been inspired by a true event. A clergyman named Joseph Moody of York, Maine, nicknamed "Handkerchief Moody", accidentally killed a friend when he was a young man and wore a black veil from the man's funeral until his own death.
The story was published as "The Minister's Black Veil, a Parable" and credited "by the author of Sights from a Steeple" in The Token and Atlantic Souvenir for 1836; the issue also included Hawt…
Plot summary
The story begins with the sexton standing in front of the meeting-house, ringing the bell. He is to stop ringing the bell when the Reverend Mr. Hooper comes into sight. However, the congregation is met with an unusual sight: Mr. Hooper is wearing a black semi-transparent veil that obscures all of his face but his mouth and chin from view. This creates a stir among the townspeople, who begin to speculate about his veil and its significance. As he takes the pulpit, Mr. Hooper's sermo…
Analysis
Like many of Hawthorne's works, the setting of the story is a town in Puritan New England. The scene provides the backdrop for a psychological exploration of the themes of sin, repentance, and morality. Much of the story focuses on the acrimonious reaction of the congregation to the seemingly benign veil. Hawthorne uses their reaction as a critique of the Puritan image of original sin, …
Critical response
When the story was published in Twice-Told Tales, an anonymous reviewer in the Boston Daily Advertiser for March 10, 1837, noted that he preferred "the grace and sweetness of such papers as 'Little Annie's Ramble,' or 'A Rill from the Town-pump,' to those of a more ambitious cast, and in which the page glows with a wider and more fearful interest, like 'The Minister's Black Veil' and 'Dr. Heidegger's Experiment.'" Edgar Allan Poe offered a few critiques of Nathaniel Hawthorne's tales. …
Legacy and adaptations
Reverend Hooper's sermon in the short story was the launching point of the dramatic work The Minister's Black Veil by Socìetas Raffaello Sanzio (2016), directed by Romeo Castellucci, with Willem Dafoe as Reverend Hooper, text by Claudia Castellucci and original music and sound design by Scott Gibbons.
External links
• Full summary and analysis of The Minister's Black Veil
• The Minister's Black Veil at American Literature
• The Minister's Black Veil at Eldritch Press
• "The Minister's Black Veil: Symbol, Meaning and the Context of Hawthorne's Art