Skip to main content

Why is Goodman Brown surprised by the people he sees in the forest?

As he travels with the old man who resembles his grandfather, Goodman Brown is surprised to see the highly esteemed members of the Puritan community. As he walks on a path leading deeper into the forest primeval, his faith is shaken when he recognizes Goody Cloyse, a "Christian woman" who was his catechism teacher, along with Deacon Gookin and the minister.


Goodman Brown is shaken by his encounter with Goody Cloyse, who is well-acquainted with...

As he travels with the old man who resembles his grandfather, Goodman Brown is surprised to see the highly esteemed members of the Puritan community. As he walks on a path leading deeper into the forest primeval, his faith is shaken when he recognizes Goody Cloyse, a "Christian woman" who was his catechism teacher, along with Deacon Gookin and the minister.


Goodman Brown is shaken by his encounter with Goody Cloyse, who is well-acquainted with the Goodman's companion—the Devil disguised in the likeness of Goodman's grandfather. Goodman wonders how Goody would be familiar with this man, since she represents the precepts of Puritan faith and what Goodman has considered good and pure. Then, as he continues along the path, Brown recognizes the voices of Deacon Gookin and the minister. They eagerly speak of the Black Sabbath that they will attend and of the "goodly young woman to be taken into communion."



"With heaven above and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the devil!" cried Goodman Brown.



Shaken by the sight of those members of his community he has known to be "famous for their special sanctity," Goodman Brown's beliefs are destroyed when he witnesses their association with the wicked as they pay homage to the "prince of all." Nevertheless, he feels "a loathful brotherhood by the sympathy of what was wicked in his heart." Then, seeing his wife, Faith, Goodman calls out to her to "resist the wicked one."


After calling to Faith, Goodman Brown suddenly finds himself alone in the forest. Perhaps he has "fallen asleep and only dreamed a wild dream of a witch meeting." At any rate, Brown has lost his belief in the goodness of man, and he lives the remainder of his life in a "misery unutterable" because he has found the Puritan faith corruptible in people he previously considered good Christians.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

What are some tensions between men and women in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar?

Julius Caesar is a largely male-driven play. Calpurnia and Portia are the two main female characters, and they are both wives of major characters. Calpurnia is Julius Caesar’s wife. She makes public appearances with him, but there may be some awkwardness between them because of her inability to have children. He publicly tells Antony to touch Calpurnia to cure her of barrenness when he runs the Lupercal, a “holy race” and fertility festival. Calpurnia has... Julius Caesar is a largely male-driven play. Calpurnia and Portia are the two main female characters, and they are both wives of major characters. Calpurnia is Julius Caesar’s wife. She makes public appearances with him, but there may be some awkwardness between them because of her inability to have children. He publicly tells Antony to touch Calpurnia to cure her of barrenness when he runs the Lupercal, a “holy race” and fertility festival. Calpurnia has nightmares about Caesar’s death. She claims that she is not naturally super...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is the probability that a cross between parents who are both homozygous recessive for trait will have offspring that are homozygous recessive...

In the question, both parents are homozygous recessive for a trait. Therefore, the only genes present in each parent's genotype would be two copies of the recessive gene.  If these parents decide to have offspring, 100% of their children will inherit two recessive alleles and will express the recessive trait. An example of this can be demonstrated with the sickle cell anemia allele. If both parents have sickle cell anemia, then all of their offspring... In the question, both parents are homozygous recessive for a trait. Therefore, the only genes present in each parent's genotype would be two copies of the recessive gene.  If these parents decide to have offspring, 100% of their children will inherit two recessive alleles and will express the recessive trait. An example of this can be demonstrated with the sickle cell anemia allele. If both parents have sickle cell anemia, then all of their offspring will have the disease phenotype. The disease phenotype of sickle cell anemia re...
Post a Comment
Read more