Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts, into this culture in 1804. It’s possible that Hawthorne felt some guilt about his ancestor’s crimes not only did he drop the “w” from his surname to disassociate himself from Hathorne, but he also spent most of his writing career delving into American Puritanism, often finding more criticism than praise.ĭespite the fact that the Salem Witch Trials had occurred more than a century before, nineteenth-century New England was still bleeding with inherited guilt, even as it revolted against the Puritans’ restrictive standards.

The Salem witch trials, which took place in the late 17th century and involved hearings, prosecutions, and executions, sentenced twenty people to death based on rumor and suspicion, including Martha Corey and Martha Ingalls Carrier, who is mentioned briefly in “Young Goodman Brown.” John Hathorne, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s direct ancestor, was one of the most ruthless judges in the Salem witch trials of 1692. The Puritans’ belief was that the devil was responsible for every evil deed that took place, whether it was through witchcraft or through rituals.

Such an emphasis on religious faith could be understood through the reference to the Puritan beliefs. We have been a race of honest men and good Christians since the days of the martyrs,” Brown stated early in the story, referring to his father’s honesty and Christian faith (Hawthorne 2). “My father never went into the woods on such an errand, nor his father before him.

“A marvel, truly, that Goody Cloyse should be so far in the wilderness at nightfall,” Brown said (Hawthorne 3). In the anecdote, he expresses his surprise that Goody was out in the woods, especially at night. When Brown was discussing his impression of Goody Cloyse and his father, one example of how Hawthorne’s heritage and Puritan beliefs were portrayed in the novel was shown.

Nathaniel hawthorne goodman brown