Vita e analisi di Young Goodman Brown di Hawthorne, Appunti di Letteratura Angloamericana

Scarica Vita e analisi di Young Goodman Brown di Hawthorne e più Appunti in PDF di Letteratura Angloamericana solo su Docsity! YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN- HAWTHORNE Young Goodman Brown, allegorical short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1835 in New England Magazine and collected in Mosses from an Old Manse(1846). Considered an outstanding tale of witchcraft, it concerns a young Puritan who ventures into the forest to meet with a stranger. It soon becomes clear that he is approaching a witches’ sabbath, and he sees with horror that prominent members of his community are participating in the ceremonies. Ultimately, Brown is led to a flaming altar where he sees his wife, Faith. He cries out to her, “Resist,” and suddenly finds himself alone among the trees. He returns home but loses forever his faith in goodness or piety. We are in Salem around the 1700 in the period of the witch trials. In the sunset he has to do an errand but we don’t know what it is, we only know that is in the forest and we can find the idea of wilderness. He reached the place but we can find a witchcraft satanic ritual (sabbath, Jews). He was supposed to be converted with his wife but he does not partecipate to the ritual. The idea that the narrator wants is “is that really happened or it’s just a dream?” But we don’t know that, the point is that the man goes back home as a different man as the beginning. I. Beginning of the journey (1-7) II. The journey (errand) (8-49) • Appearance of the members of the community -Goody Cloyse -Voice of the Minister and the Deacon -cloud of voices of the people’s of the town and also Faith III. Recognition (50-58) IV. Conversion-ritual of acceptance (59-68) V. Return to Salem (68-71) Themes o Wilderness o Devilish characters o Faith of the man o Idea of sin o Right wrong religions (Indians) o Conversion narratives (by puritans to be part of the community, to subscribe that) o Witches connected to satanic rituals gives us the idea that the evil is everywhere Questions o Dream or reality? o Coming-of-age; does he change or not? ANALYSIS (1,2,3,4…) We don’t have an historical introduction as in “My kinsman M.M”. Here we don’t know anything here, we don’t have any kind of information. There’s the idea of what the narrator wants to tell us and what he wants to withdraw from us. It is a circular journey because he will come back. His wife has a pink ribbon and she is recognisable from that connected to the idea of innocent, childish, purity, melancholic totally different front eh scarlet petticoat She is scared about herself, she doesn’t know what she is capable to do, she is scared about being left alone at night. (4) it’s like a threat a foreshadowing (7) the errand he has to do is not specified, we don't know anything about that, only that is very urgent. (8) at each step we knew a little bit more, like that this errand has an evil purpose. Evil because it's urgent and the gloomy atmosphere, the idea that when he went inside the forest, the forest is closed behind him and nothing could be done to go outside. We don't know what's hiding behind the trees. (10) there a man seating near a tree and he was waiting for him. It is not explicit but we can understand that. He comes from Boston and it took 15 minutes to come. Here we have the first intimation that there is something supernatural. (13)The only thing about him that remarks him is his staff of black snakes. In the last part we can read that maybe it was something that his eyes were creating, his imagination. Nothing is black or white. He is tempting him all the time and it is important the idea of know because e the main character has a lack of knowing the world. There is something secret going on but we don't know what is it because it is not written. (18) the old man said that he helped his family, to convince him to go on. He is referring to his ancestors and his past but to the history of America and the colonial past, the persecutions and atrocities to the Indian villages and women considered witches. (21) at this point the devil starts laughing | so there is the idea that the evil is everywhere. Brown is partially convinced to go on with the man, but here is te he appearance of a member called Goody Cloyse. She made his catechism so she should be an image of religion, and example of purity. She knows brown, he is considered a silly fellow because he doesn't know anything. We have another intimation of witches and their broomstick. (34) the purpose of Brown is to be taken in communion, to have a conversion on this cult. (37) he cannot believe in his eyes, this woman was so pure for him. (38) there is the idea of the whole conversation to me an internal moral dilemma. We can find also the second estimation of Goodnam Brown to go back home. He feels so good about himself, that he is strong with a clear conscience but he is afraid ofthe judgment of others . (41) he can hear some voices compnnected to two people, and is interesting that at some point he hides behind the trees, expecting to see the figures to passing by, but nothing was coming, he only could hear the voices. (43) there is a young woman to be taken into communion and of course this is Faith. (47) all this saints and sinners together are encouraging her. There is more ambiguity and uncenrtancy. (48) Until we can see a pink ribbon in the sky. (50) my Faith is gone> it could be his wife but also his human faith.there is still the idea that evil is everywhere and sometimes we can't distinguish good from evil and viceversa. There is the idea that this man could be every man and every of us.