¶ … Young Goodman Brown" and "The Devil's Advocate"

Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" and the "Devil's Advocate"

Throughout history, many tales have been told about Satan tempting man into giving up the grace of God. The nineteenth century tale "Young Goodman Brown," written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, portrays an honest seventeenth century Salem resident who is tempted to surrender his faith through the manipulation of the Devil. Almost two hundred years after Hawthorne published his tempting tale, director Taylor Hackford released "The Devil's Advocate" which depicts a similar tale of temptation focused on the life of small town lawyer Kevin Lomax. Although each tales have their differences, both show the omnipresent nature of Satan and just how eager he waits at the heels of men to tempt them into committing sin.

Hawthorne's vision of the temptation of man is slightly different from Hackford's more modern interpretation. Most obviously, they are in complete different eras in history. "Young Goodman Brown" is set in seventeenth century Salem Massachusetts. Society during this time, was much more devote in their religious beliefs than in twentieth century New York high society. Money and power was much less coveted than in Kevin Lomax's situation. Secondly, Young Goodman Brown enters into the forest fully on his own accord. Although Lomax does admit his actions do influence his condition, Satan does still lure him more covertly.

These two stories are, however, incredibly similar. In both cases, Satan poses as a man in order to lure the two characters into forgetting their faith and joining him in sin. Both Brown and Lomax have young brides who, despite their original virtue and faith, eventually help lead their husbands into Satan's arms. Faith, Brown's wife, is seen in the forest partaking in the satanic rituals; he then looses all his trust in humanity, and looses his faith in both senses. Despite Mary Ann's original purity is proven through her suicide, at the very end she does influence her husband Lomax to let sin into his heart. When greed fails, Satan finds that vanity may be a better road to lead Lomax down, partly through his wife's weakness for fame. Both Brown and Lomax reject Satan, but each are left with a very gloomy fate. Brown becomes a recluse, not trusting anyone; Lomax sets himself up for another trial of temptation, for Satan resurfaces again at the very end to play another hand.