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The premier university The Cavite State

in historic Cavite recognized for University shall provide excellent,
excellence in the development of equitable and relevant educational
globally competitive and morally upright opportunities in the arts, sciences and
individuals. technology through quality instruction,
responsive research and development

Group 3 members: Janine Andrea Buhain Year and Section: BSE-3BE

Francis John Molina
Mary Christine Joy Rendon
Ma. Rebecca Ann Torres

A Mythological Analysis of Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Young Goodman Brown is an allegorical short story published in 1835 by

American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. It illustrates the development of its male
protagonist, young brown. This young puritan leaves the village of Salem and ventures
into the forest. The village is a site in which light and order, both social and spiritual
order takes place. Brown abandons his wife, faith in the town at nightfall, and comes
back to her in the dawn. It is in the forest, a place which is covered with darkness and
unknown terrors, that brown finds his ultimate darker side which serves as his shadow.
The conflict that the young puritan abides during his cryptic journey in the woods is
exhibited to be internal through several factors that are predictions of his unconscious.
Archetypal approach is also evident in this allegorical short story. In fact, Hawthorne
describes many archetypes in which makes the story relatable to readers. He explores
archetypal symbols, universal symbols and characters to help the readers realize the
theme, which is the inevitable loss of innocence.

The Inherited Willpower that Separates Me from the Pack

The character himself Young Goodman Brown is “The Outcast”, because he
maintained his inherited convictions and repudiated to join with the Old Man (who is
revealed, as the “Devil”) in a village where everyone is turning to a wicked sick devil
worshipper with subtle wherefores. He really suits the Outcast vibes since he can’t even
bare to listen to the evil Latin hymns that his fellow towns enunciate, he is all alone by
himself, like a white dot in a black paper. His purity remained consistent since he
doesn’t want to be tainted with such evil morals that will cause a disgrace to himself and
his faithful family. When it comes to Greek Mythology, Hades was an outcast because
he was condemned from living in the Mount Olympus, and he was forced to rule the
underworld, there isn’t much of a choice for Hades both since his two brothers are
selfish, and wants to establish their superiority to mortals. When it comes to Christian
Beliefs, Lucifer (Satan) is the outcast since he was condemned by God because he is
different from the other archangels. Lucifer and Hades has the same Outcast vibes with
Young Goodman Brown, just like Hades, he chose to be himself who has an
unwavering will and bridled himself to fall in evil beliefs that might tempt him, and just
like Lucifer, he chose to be different too to his fellow town members. The whole point is
being an outcast is not a bad thing, the real definition of bad thing here is getting
influenced by atrocities, and it’s not bad to be different.

Young BADman Brown?

After his horrific experience that made his spine shivered, Young Goodman
Brown became doubtful about the people of his village. He even thinks if it’s real or just
a dream because of his paranoia, it can be both true either way. He was in a situation
called the “The Initiation”. His purity and faith remained dominant, but the issue here is
the TRUST that he had before, becomes the DOUBT because his dream could be a
way to show that it is the sign that the people from his village and even his wife is really
vile and has fallen from grace. For the other hand, this dream can also be a sign of his
true desire and his real identity, the real anima of himself can be the person in his
dreams (the evil villagers), and his persona was the faithful hypocrite with good faith
and belief to God in reality. His desire could be evil, but his impulses restrained him to
act as good man to remain vigilant. Think about the true nature of the character, and the
cult that the villagers belongs to could be the cult that he really belonged to in the first
place, this dream is the vision and the revelation that he is the real evil in real life. His
shadow was being rejected in reality, and the projection of him became the villagers
who are innocent that was tainted by his evil nature in his dreams. It made the
readers/critiques wonder if Young Goodman Brown is the white dot in the black paper?
Or he is the black dot in a pure white paper?

The Mystery in Imagery

• Forest: forest is known as a mysterious place inhabited with urban legends
creature which creates threats for people. The place itself hides an evil identity or dark
element at night, while in a broad daylight it shows beauty and peace. In the story, since
forest is also known as place that knows all the secrets, the forest became the place
where the villagers performed their demonic rituals, and since it’s night time, the evil
energy is lurking all over the place which made the chanting more creepier.
• Fire: the element of fire is known to be destructive or something that gives light
in the dark (hope and purity). The other context says that it could be passion, desire,
rebirth and resurrection, eternity, destruction, and hell. But base from the story, the fire
became the imagery of rebirth, the cults are chanting some dark twisted hymns to
welcome the new coverts, and the converts are the vital piece to resurrect the actual
demon itself.

Furthermore, it is indeed Hawthorne describes a lot of archetypal approach that

makes the story relatable and suitable to any age range. The story of the Young
Goodman brown show how members in the village depicts the society who are fast to
condemn others, yet refuse to acknowledge their evils doings they have committed. The
Devil, acting as a shadow, represents the darkness within every human being. Faith
describe the image of goodness every human strives for. In reality, being exposed to
the challenges given by the society, human become consciously aware of the sin
existing in the world yet refuse to admit it within themselves, refusing the shadow aspect
of human nature.