Reflection on "The Minister's Black Veil"

"The Minister's Black Veil" exhibits many characteristics of Dark Romanticism. Though not the same as the other Dark Romantic stories we have read, such as the works of Poe, "The Minister's Black Veil" still has many features that make it a Dark Romantic work.
The main characteristic of Dark Romanticism present in "The Minister's Black Veil" is the sense of mystery that pervades the story in its entirety. The villagers can't figure out why on earth the minister would all of a sudden want to wear a veil over his face. The villagers uncertainty creeps into the reader's mind and makes them want to figure out why the minister is wearing a veil. Even when the minister explains his new headgear, he does so in a very ambiguous way that leaves a lot open for interpretation. If anything, the reader continues reading the story just so they can receive clarification. Also, they want to know if he keeps his promise and keeps the veil on for his whole life. He apparently does, but, when he dies, the townspeople don't lift the veil. The minister is buried in it and decomposes with it still covering his face. As the narrator states in the beginning, "That mysterious emblem was never once withdrawn." (Hawthorne 281).
Another big theme of Dark Romanticism in this story is the acknowledgment that there is sin and evil in the world. The townspeople believe Mr. Hooper to be wearing the veil because he is hiding from some secret sin, illustrated by this passage: "The subject had reference to secret sin, and those sad mysteries which we hide from our nearest and dearest, and would fain conceal from our own consciousness, even forgetting that the Omniscient can detect them." (Hawthorne 282). The accusation presented in that passage is made even more ominous by the fact that Mr. Hooper is a minister, and, therefore, he is not really supposed to sin, let alone have a secret sin that is so bad he feels he must cover his face. This brings an added layer to the psychology of "The Minister's Black Veil."
The Dark Romantic authors often play around with psychology in their stories, which makes them that much more effective as short stories. The minister's veil makes all of the townspeople really uneasy. They know that a simple piece of black fabric shouldn't have such an effect on them, but they can't help the fact that it really creeps them out. It is made even more intense by the fact that there is not a solid presence that makes them feel that way. In other Dark Romanticism stories, there is usually something solid for the characters to be afraid of, even if they are really just a metaphor for something else. The fact that there is really only the subtle idea of something that is making the people feel this way certainly is more effective than an actual boogieman. It is this psychological aspect that is probably the biggest reason this work is considered a Dark Romantic work.


Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "The Minister's Black Veil." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 280-89. Print.