Story Analysis: Critique of Puritan Society
Like so many of Hawthorne's short stories and novels, 'Young Goodman Brown' takes place in Puritan New England, specifically in Salem, Massachusetts. You're probably already aware of Salem's grisly history as home of the infamous Witch Trials, during which dozens of women and men were accused of witchcraft, and many were executed. One of Hawthorne's ancestors was actually involved in the trials and sentenced several women to death. Some scholars have suggested that this family legacy may have been what sparked Hawthorne's interest in writing about - and criticizing - Puritan society.
At the beginning of the story, the Old Man reveals that he was present during two major events from Goodman Brown's family history: when Goodman Brown's grandfather whipped a Quaker woman in the streets of Salem, and when Goodman Brown's father burned an Indian village during King Philip's War.
Hawthorne drew these details from the actual history of Salem village. Founded by Puritans seeking religious tolerance, Salem quickly became a repressive society where those who did not follow sanctioned behavior were violently punished. The Quakers, the American Indians, and those convicted of witchcraft were among those brutally treated by the Puritans, and Hawthorne's story suggests that underneath Salem village's pious exterior, hypocrisy and intolerance prevail.
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