“Young Goodman Brown,” “Heart of Darkness”: Analysis Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography

Hurley, Paul J. “Young Goodman Brown’s” Heart of Darkness”.” American Literature, vol. 37, no. 4, 1966, pp. 410-419.

Drawing parallels between two different narratives belonging to the same author is a common approach to critiquing them; however, in his analysis of Hawthorne’s ‘Young Goodman Brown,’ Paul J. Hurley takes a unique approach to the specified technique, claiming that Hawthorne’s story is imbued with the ideas that would appear in another famous short story by a different author, Joseph Conrad, several decades later. Stating that the character of Goodman Brown is significantly more dimensional than it is represented in the surface in the story, Hurley asserts that young Goodman Brown’s darkness hides within him, which makes the character all the more compelling and the message significantly more nuanced and palatable.

The author’s ability to draw connections between two seemingly underrated narratives doubtlessly is one of the main advantages of the article. Hurley offers a unique perspective on the titular character, thus, reinventing his persona and challenging the existing interpretation thereof. As a result, the paper benefits from an original and quite plausible argument (Hurley 411). However, several disadvantages, such as the lack of supporting evidence that would have made the statements significantly stronger should not be denied, either. Furthermore, the paper would have been even more convincing and impressive f alternative points of view had been included.

Nevertheless, even with its minor discrepancies, the paper serves as a perfect foil for further research. Specifically, the author’s conclusions regarding the character of young Goodman Brown, particularly him being entirely oblivious about his gradual reconciliation with his evil side. Therefore, an in-depth analysis of the protagonist becomes possible, with a close focus on societal, cultural, and personal factors that motivate him. Therefore, the article should be considered a crucial contribution to further study.

Work Cited

Hurley, Paul J. “Young Goodman Brown’s” Heart of Darkness”.” American Literature, vol. 37, no. 4, 1966, pp. 410-419.