"The Minister's Black Veil"

There are many psychological aspects of the story "The Minister's Black Veil" (Hawthorne). In this short story, a minister in a small, average town puts on a black veil. This scares and confuses his congregation, and all of the people in the town. The minister will not take off the veil and people start to become more frightful of him. The minister eventually is on his death bed and states that he will never take the veil off while he is on this earth. He believes that he needs to do it to show the people that they are hiding sins(Hawthorne).

The minister believes that it is his duty to wear the veil(Hawthorne). He wears it as an example to the people to remind them that they all have sins that they hide and keep in secret. He wears it to show that he has sins, but he is not going to pretend that they don't exist, as all the other people do. Psychologically, this minister is very strong willed. Because of wearing the black veil he loses his girl, his friends, his credibility, and his social standings. It takes a lot of drive and sacrifice for this man to do what he believes is right. As he is dying he says, "Tremble also at each other! Have men avoided me, and women shown no pity, and children screamed and fled, only for my black veil? What, but the mystery which it obscurely typifies, has made this piece of crape so awful? When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend; the lover to his best beloved; when man does not vainly shrink from the eye of his Creator, loathsomely treasuring up the secret of his sin; then deem me a monster, for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die! I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!" The minister sees a veil on everyone that he looks at. He is speaking metaphorically but is saying that each person is living in sin and hiding it. Which is such a pity, and he is showing it and being condemned(Hawthorne).

There are also many psychological aspects to be discussed of the towns people. They became suddenly fearful when the minister's face was concealed by a black veil. They began to question if the man even was the minister. It seems like just because he is wearing a black veil, all of the common sense of the towns people goes out the window.

Dark Romanticism is most definitely shown in this work of literature (Hawthorne). Dark Romanticism accepts that there is sin and evil in the world (Dark Romanticism). This piece of literature does acknowledge and accept that there is sin and evil in the world(Hawthorne). In fact, the minister outwardly shows that he has sins and encourages others to not hide their sins any longer in the dark, but to bring them into the light. "The Minister's Black Veil" really shows Dark Romanticism (Hawthorne).

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "The Minister's Black Veil, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1836." Eldritch Press. Web. 20 Jan. 2012. .

"Dark Romanticism - ArticleWorld." Main Page - ArticleWorld. Web. 22 Jan. 2012. .