The Minister’s Black Veil†External, Internal Conflict Essay

â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ External, Internal Conflict Based on the evaluations of literary critics, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil,† contains both an external and an internal conflict, about equally treated in the tale. It is the intent of this essay to explore both types of conflict as presented in the story. R. W. B. Lewis in â€Å"The Return into Rime: Hawthorne† implies internal and external conflict in his statement: â€Å"Finally, it was Hawthorne who saw in American experience the re-creation of the story of Adam and who . . . exploited the active metaphor of the American as Adam – before and during and after the Fall† (72). Q. D. Leavis says regarding internal confllict: the†¦show more content†¦At the outset of the tale, â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil,† the sexton is tolling the church bell and simultaneously watching Mr. Hooper’s door, when suddenly he says, ``But what has good Parson Hooper got upon his face? The surprise which the sexton displayed is repeated in the astonishment of the onlookers: â€Å"With one accord they started, expressing more wonder. . .† The reason is this: â€Å"Swathed about his forehead, and hanging down over his face, so low as to be shaken by his breath† is a black veil. The 30 year ol d, unmarried parson receives a variety of reactions from his congregation: ``I cant really feel as if good Mr. Hoopers face was behind that piece of crape ``He has changed himself into something awful, only by hiding his face ``Our parson has gone mad! Few could refrain from twisting their heads towards the door. . . . . . . more than one woman of delicate nerves was forced to leave the meeting-house. At this point begins the external conflict of the drama – between the minister and the people of his congregation, which will last until his death. Except for the sable veil, Reverend Hooper is quite a compatible and sociable personality: Mr. Hooper had the reputation of a good preacher, but not an energetic one: he strove to win his people heavenward by mild, persuasive influences, rather than to drive them thither by theShow MoreRelatedEssay on External and Internal Conflict in The Minister’s Black Veil2520 Words   |  11 PagesExternal and Internal Conflict in â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† manifests a duality of conflict – both an external conflict and an internal conflict. 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