The Minister's Black Veil Essay Introduction
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil,” first published in 1836, follows
Reverend Mr. Hooper, a Puritan minister who unexpectedly begins wearing a black veil
that covers his face. Although he offers no clear explanation for the veil, its presence
unsettles his congregation and changes the way people relate to him. The veil becomes a
visible symbol of the hidden aspects of human character that people prefer to keep
private, while Hooper’s refusal to remove it separates him from the community he serves.
Through the minister’s isolation and the reactions of those around him, Hawthorne
examines secrecy, guilt, sin, and the human tendency to conceal uncomfortable truths
from others and from themselves.
