Journal #10

Michelle Romero
Eng. 48, Dr. Scott

Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne

"The people trembled, though they but darkly understood him, when he prayed that they, and himself, and all of mortal race, might be ready, as he trusted this young maiden had been, for the dreadful hour that should snatch the veil from their faces" (1314).

Hawthorne gives this description while the mourners circle 'round to view the dead woman at her funeral.

In this context, the black veil, being black and causes sadness everywhere Hooper goes, represents death and what is to come in the afterlife. Gothically of course, he emphasizes the gloom and horror death presents to the human life rather than a fanciful depiction of a yellow Heaven. In fact, this particular passage makes Judgment day an extremely fearful thing. In his language, he makes it seem like the person will actually be standing before everyone naked....being stripped of the black veil that covers them. In this way, the black veil does represent individual sin and how it separates one person from another, and from experiencing love or communion between eachother.

What is interesting is that Hooper prays that the people are ready for what is coming. This sense of urgency that his concern creates may also point to Hawthorne's interpretation of the end times as described in Revelations in the Christian Bible. This interpretation takes the black veil to another level of judgment, to ultimate judgment...AND it creates a fearful sense of the unknown and a present and eminent darkness or danger.

Hawthorne really puts a very dark and ugly face on sin and warns about the end of life, when each person will stand before God and be judged, virtually naked without a veil to hide behind.

It's pretty deep and dark...and I suppose, GOTHIC.