Young Goodman Brown The Theme of Duplicity - Essay Example

Hawthorne employs vivid imagery and evocative names to support his theme of duplicity. His persistent use of the honorific ‘Goodman,’ although it was a common form of address in the Puritan dialect, has an impudently mocking resonance, in the light of his protagonist’s surrender to evil. Likewise, the appellation ‘Goody,’ which is used to preface the names of the two women: Goody Cloyse, the “Devil’s old friend” (Hawthorne, Page7), and Goody Cory, “that unhanged witch,” (Page 7), is definitely hard to accept at face value.

Again, it is Martha ‘Carrier’ who leads Goodman Brown’s wife towards the unholy altar, the name suggesting a messenger who ‘carries’ the girl towards the Devil. But it is undoubtedly Goodman Brown’s wife, ‘Faith,’ who is the most “aptly named” (Page 4). His wife is Goodman Brown’s “blessed angel on earth” (Page 4), and his true embodiment of faith. It is his loss of faith in his wife which leads to his loss of faith in the whole world and the loss of his own soul.

The narrative takes place at night, with the darkness and concealment heightening the air of duplicity and evil. Goodman Brown’s path is “as lonely as could be,” (Page 4), and his journey lies through the gloom of the forest, the concealment offered by the thick woods, and “the heart of the dark wilderness,” (Page 9). Even the music heard at the Devil’s communion is not some bawdy song, but a solemn hymn, whose “slow and mournful strain, such as the pious love” (Page 11), is but an artifice to gloss the evil lyrics.

The duplicity of Goodman Brown is skillfully demonstrated by contrasting his smug complacency with his doggedness to pursue “his present evil purpose” (Page 4). He brashly asks his wife, “Dost thou doubt me?” (Page 4), and professes that “his heart smote him” (Page 4). Hawthorne contrasts each of his main characters in the guise of the public saint and private sinner.   The blatant duplicity of Young Goodman Brown’s morality is seen in the fact that it is not founded on his own virtue, but on his perception of virtue in others.

Young Goodman Brown is Hawthorne’s protest against the hypocrisy of rigid Puritanism.