Season 2 Podcast 91 Anatomy of Temptation

Anatomy of TemptationIn Nathanial Hawthorne’s short story, “Young Goodman Brown,” Hawthorne analyzes the subtle deceits that Satan uses to entice us to abandon our faith. We know from the title that Brown is young, meaning he is unschooled in the ways of the world and the wiles of Satan. “Good Man” Brown suggests that he has been good his entire life and has not yet been tempted.  His wife is named faith, which, of course, represents the faith of Young Goodman Brown.  But his faith is not perfect, amidst her white garments she wears a pink ribbon. In fact, he has only been married three months meaning his faith is only three months old for his marriage represents the marriage of Christ which suggests that he embraced Christ and his faith only three months previous.Brown leaves faith behind which foreshadows the tragedy that follows.  But before he goes into the forest, which represents evil, his newfound faith warns: Dearest heart," whispered she, softly and rather sadly, when her lips were close to his ear, "pray thee, put off your journey until sunrise, and sleep in your own bed to-night. A lone woman is troubled with such dreams and such thoughts, that she's afeard of herself, sometimes. Pray, tarry with me this night, dear husband, of all nights in the year!" The youth disregards the warning of his new bride, Faith, and journeys into the dark woods alone to meet temptation. He justifies himself:"My love and my Faith," replied young Goodman Brown, "of all nights in the year, this one night must I tarry away from thee. My journey, as thou callest it, forth and back again, must needs be done 'twixt now and sunrise. What, my sweet, pretty wife, dost thou doubt me already, and we but three months married!"Faith allows her new husband to go into the forest alone:"Then God bless you!" said Faith, with the pink ribbons, "and may you find all well, when you come back."