Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne | In-Depth Summary & Analysis

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Course Hero Literature Instructor Russell Jaffe provides an in-depth analysis of the plot, characters, symbols, and themes of Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story Young Goodman Brown.
Download the free study guide and infographic for Young Goodman Brown here: www.coursehero.com/lit/Young-...
Set in 17th-century Salem, Massachusetts, when Puritans dictated behavioral and religious standards, Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story Young Goodman Brown concerns the journey of an outwardly pious young Puritan man to a witch's Sabbath.
Guided by a Dark Figure, likely the Devil, Brown traverses the woods near Salem, Massachusetts, seemingly unaware of what actually draws him to the meeting.
When he arrives, many members of his community, both sinful and virtuous, are engaged in dark rituals. He and his new wife are inducted into the ways of evil.
The night haunts him for the rest of his life, though he displays all of the outward signs of goodness.
As an allegory, the story shows how the devil leads all people-the godly and the corrupt-into sin and demonstrates that the temptation of evil is a risk to even the most righteous among us.
American author Nathaniel Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown was first published in 1835. A native of Salem, Massachusetts-home of the famous 17th-century witch trials-Hawthorne was well acquainted with church leaders, their Puritanical religious standards, their ambiguities, and their sins.
The short story Young Goodman Brown contains many enduring themes, including disillusionment, as Goodman loses faith in goodness and piety when he sees church leaders taking part in a satanic ritual; sin, as the dark figure says virtue is a dream and sin is the nature of humans; and hypocrisy, as Salem’s church leaders profess commitment to morality but secretly act immorally. Important symbols include the forest, the serpent-shaped staff, and pink ribbons.
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[@creativeperseverance1912]

Whos here because they tried reading the first paragraph and immediately quit

[@dtbyard1]

Me

[@angieramirez6572]

I am cracking up! Thats why I'm here.

[@kalieshepherd]

Damn, call me out why don't you?! XD

[@eveunveils2422]

me lol

[@mariammrad9847]

Me😅

[@bradyryden1841]

how convenient, im doing a project on young goodman brown that's due in the next 2 hours

[@bahjom658]

😂😂😂I hope u turned in on time

[@benivenetta6253]

Me, in literally today😭😖 Good luck to my shitty brain

[@JayMilli843]

Soooo true😭😭

[@TylerTubeDotCom]

I have a paper due tomorrow and this is helping lol

[@lenaaa5738]

3 for me

[@Fanta1709]

If it wouldn't be for Course Hero, I would fail all of my literature exams.

[@9hiwa330]

True haha

[@johntheidiot9046]

Dawg I'm right here with ya, buddy, 2 hours til delivery lol

[@antonellafernandezcastella9184]

After reading this story for a class I was still confused about some points in the story so I really appreciate this videos insight and explanation

[@Masterlove2694]

I read it 10 times i am still confused

[@sugastan9276]

Dude you be saving my ass from failing in finals 😭

[@kitrichardson2165]

The message I get from the story is that yes we are filled with hypocrisy and guile, but the beautiful strivings, meretricious says they are, make life bearable and times even beautiful. Yes underneath it all there is something dark and ugly, but we don’t need to dwell on it and we can make a life for ourselves by focusing on the good, instead of paradoxically focusing on the truth.

[@kitrichardson2165]

Interestingly too, this is another explanation for the allegory of Adam and Eve

[@glysentte92]

This saved me! I read the first page of this story and have zero clue of what I was reading. THANK YOU.

[@pink-mo9kw]

I feel like this guy sounds like salesman for the this story.

[@abasicyoutubeviewer276]

Great work! Animated clips, lively synopsis, and was much enjoyed.

[@elouariaghlifatimazahra1553]

i'm really thankful for this. It only need the subtitle to be the best

[@noonewilleat1]

Very very nice. There was just a few details I was unclear on after reading this. This helped a lot thanks

[@farahfarah5326]

I hoped If there is subtitle to facilitate more the story,yet in any case thank you very much for this video it's really helpful .

[@carmenmarranca2294]

i feel like kevin from the office is narrating this

[@ramiabdalla2661]

lmao what, this guy doesn't remotely look or sound like Kevin

[@abdellahdriouch5160]

Thanks for this amazing work 😍

[@BrandonKellyYT]

thank you for this, really appreciate it!

[@MadCapMoto]

I read the short story and watched this twice and it still makes no god damn sense. What was Hawthorne on when he wrote this atrocity? lol I digress... Thanks for the vid.

[@kdot445]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@k1awesomeness]

this vid makes so much sense to me

[@sheririch1734]

That niggah was out to cheat on his wife getting a quicky from the side chick in the woods! LMFAOOO!!

[@monicanunez860]

You will be the reason I pass my exams!! Thank you!!

[@october80zkingz29]

This was very well explained I read this twice and still couldn’t grabs every detail

[@SuperCarlosnoob]

Great job.

[@shannelmejia6900]

Thank you so much for this video, it help me a lot

[@randomnameforarandomnerd8400]

here bc i’m sick and missing class. thanks homie

[@eveunveils2422]

I can finally submit my work that's due in 2 hours :')

[@zupernovaa]

You deserve more likes

[@hanhyun1893]

what about subtitle? i cant understand all :(

[@clary98]

I need to write an essay comparing Young Goodman Brown and The Masque of the Red Death... maybe this can help

[@zupernovaa]

Thank youuuuu omg

[@T1ffy222]

WIth all this over-intonation it's so draining to listen

[@thoughts2536]

be grateful for what you are already getting for free, which knowledge! if you dont like the over intonation, simply leave!

[@dalilsmith8591]

where are subtitles?

[@GregoriusTheBrown]

God forbid this be anyone's introduction to the classic story.

[@ashtonsanborn9006]

It’s mine

[@kickiherdayanti4490]

Subtitle please and also upload the plot.

[@brightbite]

Now if Goodman Brown had been married to Grace, rather than Faith.. he never would have gone out gallivanting in the woods. He would have been too satisfied at home, if you catch my drift! Or.. if he HAD chosen to venture out, Grace would have gone with him! We cannot rely on our own faith, because if we do we will fail every time. We must keep our eyes on Christ, Who is Grace.

[@amiramezrigui4939]

I'm doing a project of the end of Young good man brown plz help me

[@ismailelomari737]

Interesting story despite of some obscurity.

[@rosesspine791]

Ahah he lost “Faith”

[@randomnameforarandomnerd8400]

literally didn’t even understand that young, normal, and old goodman brown were different characters lol

[@jahidhasanrumman1927]

why are you so fast?

[@user-eg2te8nn3h]

WAY too much energy for a monday afternoon... I just wanted to know what Hawthorne's point was ;-;

[@trayvonparker4772]

Why can’t he just talk normal.

[@aprilestevis6438]

There are some parts that’s you got wrong. Just fyi

[@ryangrandbois-faulds9949]

care to expand on this?

[@theroyalgoo]

i disagree with you because i want to. (I'm not explaining)

[@sheririch1734]

That man was going to cheat on his wife that night and his conscious was messing with him! Don’t blame Faith Mr. Brown, you’re the evil one 😂

[@celerymorales6664]

I'm curious what made you think Goodman brown was gonna cheat on his wife?

[@sheririch1734]

@@celerymorales6664 because who leaves at sunset for a journey??? Only creeps come out at night 😂😂😂 I’m just talking crap sir.

[@natecarr7434]

I will never understand why tf my school is teaching me this

[@Think_For_Yourself_]

It to recognize how the people around you are phonies.

[@Gmx92]

Maybe it's just me, but if people read an author's work solely for school, it means it's not very good writing.

[@ianhall7193]

school is what exposes you to these works, so you can choose to read them and others later on.

[@jackjohn1383]

This story butt dude

[@ariapacites5536]

Read the title and gave up

[@luketanker6074]

Is this guy on coke? he's really excited for this xD

[@genzi78514]

It makes me sad, that some of the comments are coming from lazy students. I don't mean those who are using this video for an essay, that's a great way to do your homework. Hearing other points of view and looking for analysis from art, can give you a deeper understanding of it. I mean those who didn't even read the story. Actually, the short story. Like come on, I'm not from the USA and I was never be there. I know the literature of my own country plus, I'm learning yours. What would happen if tomorrow we find each other and I can speak about this story perfectly and you don't?

[@einar_cz2217]

Well actually nothing happens. You just know the story from reading it and I know the story from watching this video. I mean, I'm nto american but I study britih/American literautre and there's just too many books and stories to read them all.

[@moaweaamairi9712]

Traaaaaaaashh

[@ngsam3260]

How?

[@kalyanwatp]

Stop barking🙏

[@breeze9610]

This manner of explaning the story made me feel like a child and uncomfortable to be honest