Young Goodman Brown

First published in 1835, ‘Young Goodman Brown’ is a short story by the renowned American author, Nathaniel Hawthorne. Set in 17th century Salem, young Goodman Brown tells his new wife Faith that he must go on a journey, and sets out alone into the woods. There he comes across a mysterious man who isn’t all that he seems. As Goodman Brown journeys further into the woods, he witnesses things that will shake the very core of his faith and belief. A tense, symbolic story by the author of ‘The Scarlet Letter’. Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) was an American novelist and short-story writer. Born in Salem, Massachusetts, Hawthorne began his writing career in 1828 with the publication of his first novel, ‘Fanshawe’, followed by a collection of short stories. In 1850 he published perhaps his most famous work, ‘The Scarlet Letter’, which has since been adapted multiple times for stage and screen. Many of his novels explore lessons in morality, and centre around the themes of sin and evil. Some of his other best-known works include the novels ‘The House of the Seven Gables’ and ‘The Marble Faun’, and short stories ‘Wakefield’ and ‘Feathertop’. Hawthorne died in 1864 at the age of 59.

A nocturnal journey with the devil and a strange vision in the forest lead Goodman Brown to regard his fellow townspeople as devil worshipers.

Choice collection of masterly short fiction. In addition to title story: "The Birthmark," "Rappaccini's Daughter," "Roger Malvin's Burial," "The Artist of the Beautiful," "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment," and "My Kinsman, Major Molineux."

A Study Guide for Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown," excerpted from Gale's acclaimed Short Stories for Students.This concise study guide includes plot summary; character analysis; author biography; study questions; historical context; suggestions for further reading; and much more. For any literature project, trust Short Stories for Students for all of your research needs.

The first paperback edition to include full annotations of these twenty Hawthorne tales written between the 1830s and 50s, this volume contains the classic pieces "Young Goodman Brown," "The Maypole of Merry Mount," "The Birthmark," "The Celestial Railroad," and "Earth's Holocaust," as well as tales, such as "My Kinsman, Major Molineux," which represent Hawthorne's interest in the spiritual history of New England.

Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of America’s most noted and highly praised writers, and a key figure in US literature. Although, he struggled to become an acknowledged author for most parts of his life, his work “stands in the limelight of the American literary consciousness” (Graham 5). For he is a direct descendant of Massachusetts Bay colonists in the Puritan era of the 17th and 18th century, New England served as a lifelong preoccupation for Hawthorne, and inspired many of his best-known stories. Hence, in order to understand the author and his work, it is crucial to apprehend the historical background from which his stories arose. The awareness of the Puritan legacy in Hawthorne’s time, and their Calvinist beliefs which contributed to the establishment of American identity, serve as a basis for fathoming the intention behind Hawthorne’s writings. His forefathers’ concept of wilderness became an important part of their religious life, and in many of Hawthorne’s tales, nature can be perceived as an active agent for the plot and the moral message. Therefore, it is indispensable to consider the development behind the Puritan perception, as well as the prevailing opinion on nature during the writer’s lifetime. After the historical background has been depicted, the author himself is focused. His ambiguous character and non-persistent lifestyle are the source of many themes which can be retrieved from his works. Thus, understanding the man behind the stories is necessary in order to analyze the tales themselves. Seclusion, nature, and Puritanism are constantly recurring topics in the author’s life and work. To become familiar with Hawthorne’s relation to nature, his ancestors, and religion, it is essential to understand the vast amount of symbols his stories. His stories will be brought into focus, and will be analyzed on the basis of the historical and biographical facts, and further, his particular style and purpose will be taken into consideration.The second part of this book analyzes two of the author’s most eminent and esteemed works, namely ‘Young Goodman Brown’ and ‘The Scarlet Letter’ in terms of nature symbolism and the underlying moral intention. Further, it is examined to which extent the images correspond to the formerly explained historical facts, and Hawthorne’s emphasized characteristic features. The comparison of the two works focuses on the didactic purpose for in all of his works, Hawthorne’s aim was to give a lesson. Thus, it will [...]

"The Great Carbuncle" is a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne published in 1835. The Great Carbuncle points out that earthly possessions are not necessary for success and that people should be satisfied with what they have instead of wanting things that are not essential in life.

Here are the best of Hawthorne's short stories. There are twenty-four of them -- not only the most familiar, but also many that are virtually unknown to the average reader. The selection was made by Professor Newton Arvin of Smith College, a recognized authority on Hawthorne and a distinguished literary critic as well. His fine introduction admirably interprets Hawthorne's mind and art.