Table of ContentsHuman NatureFrame as CharacterThe Similarity Between Young Goodman Brown and DimmesdaleWorks CitedSome authors experiment with various styles and techniques throughout their literary careers, with distinct differences between the different works. This is not true in the case of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne has striking similarities in the style and content of his works. Such similarities can be displayed between The Scarlet Letter and Young Goodman Brown. Both works present Hawthorne's view of human nature, use the setting as a character, and contain a fallible clergyman. The analysis of these works will highlight similarities. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Human Nature Nathaniel Hawthorne's view of human nature was not optimistic. In fact, almost all of his works display an extremely dark and gloomy view of human nature. Hawthorne himself describes The Scarlet Letter as “a story of human frailty and sorrow” (2). Indeed, The Scarlet Letter demonstrates a fragile vision of human existence, both physically and spiritually. Many of the characters in this work suffer from internal and/or external illnesses that promote Hawthorne's dark view of humanity and contradict a "beautiful" view of human nature. To begin with, an example of human frailty in The Scarlet Letter can be seen in various physical illnesses afflicting various characters in the story. Roger Chillingworth is one such character. From his introduction to chapter three, it is clear that this man suffers from a deformity. It is said that “one of this man's shoulders rose higher than the other” (Hawthorne 51). Chillingworth himself admits that he realizes that he is ugly and "deformed from [his] birth hour" (Hawthorne 61). Obviously, Chillingworth's deformity serves as a physical representation of the ugliness of human nature, but this deformity has a deeper meaning. Due to the instability of Roger's shoulders, his body appears twisted and hideous. However, by looking beyond the surface, the reader can infer that Roger's soul is just as twisted. Chillingworth is determined to take revenge and openly proclaims it when he tells Hester, "Her fame, her position, her life will be in my hands." Beware!" (Hawthorne 63). This statement makes it clear that Chillingworth is a wicked man, once again reinforcing the darkness of human nature. Indeed, whenever Chillingworth is mentioned, the color black appears, and Hawthorne calls even Roger "either Satan himself, or Satan's emissary, in the guise of old Roger Chillingworth" (101) Therefore, Chillingworth's entire character displays a dark and twisted aspect of human nature, with very little in it. evidence of any beauty. Dimmesdale's characterization may also speak to the fragility of the human condition. Once again, the physical symptoms reveal the inner state of this man's heart. As the story progresses, Dimmesdale begins to become increasingly pale and weaker, and constantly clutches his heart. As it stands, this would satisfy the definition of frailty due to the actual physical weakness displayed by Dimmesdale. However, the real infirmity lies in Dimmesdale's heart. Since he cannot openly confess his sin like Hester, Dimmesdale lives with ingrained guilt. This causes Dimmesdale's grief, and he implies that he would much rather endure Hester's punishment than thehis saying to Roger: “But still, I think, it must be better if the victim is free to show her pain, as this poor woman Hester is. , than to conceal it in his heart” (Hawthorne 107). Although it does not show pure evil as Chillingworth does, Dimmesdale's internal suffering is yet another way in which Hawthorne portrays human nature as dark and fragile. Young Goodman Brown also shows examples of such fragility. After his encounter with evil in the woods, Brown discovers that everyone he knows and loves has made some form of pact with the Devil, including his own beloved Faith. Upon realizing this, Brown becomes sardonic and cynical, finding no comfort in activities he previously enjoyed. Hawthorne states: “A stern, sad, darkly meditative, suspicious, even desperate man, has he become from the night of this fearful dream” (n.p.). It's the ultimate example of "fragility and sorrow," as Goodman Brown allowed one night to transform his entire existence. Brown himself loses all hope in human nature and believes it to be absolutely evil at his heart, once he realizes that his beloved Faith has been corrupted by the Devil. After his metamorphosis, Brown can no longer listen to sermons with the same fervor as before and his relationships with others deteriorate. He then dies as a "whitened corpse" (Hawthorne np) and is buried in an unadorned grave. These images support the idea that Hawthorne intended to portray human existence as weak and full of sorrow. Setting the Scene as Character Another iconic literary technique of Hawthorne is the use of setting as a silent character. The setting of Hawthorne's works has a considerable impact on the lives of the characters, often complementing the conflicts between the characters. In this way, the setting affects the thoughts and emotions of the characters and causes them to commit actions that they would not normally perform. Of all the settings featured in Hawthorne's works, one stands out as having the most impact: the forest. In the novel, the forest is described as “vast and gloomy” (Hawthorne 62). The Puritans never ventured into this wilderness, as it was considered a place of rampant evil, and even the home of the Devil himself. The interaction within the forest is generally disturbing to Hawthorne's characters. As can be seen in both the novel and Young Goodman Brown, characters venturing into the forest often return after committing serious acts. A major character interacting in the forest is Roger Chillingworth, widely seen as an agent of evil in the novel. Roger emerges from the forest when he first appears in the novel in chapter 3, essentially emerging from darkness. Roger is most clearly associated with darkness when he is fascinated by his quest for revenge against Dimmesdale. It makes sense then that Roger would emerge from the Devil's supposed abode, because ultimately, the people of Boston believe that Roger is either an agent of the Devil or the Devil himself. In summary, the forest setting complements the villainous nature of Roger's character, as it directly connects him to what the Puritans would have considered an abode of darkness and evil. In addition to its appearance in The Scarlet Letter, the forest as a setting has a huge impact on the characters in Young Goodman Brown. Without this crucial framework, Brown's fate would not have happened, nor would his crucial change in personality. Essentially, Brown's journey into the forest is not simply a journey to a foreign place, but rather a pact with the Devil himself. This is made evident early in the story, when Hawthorne calls,.