Facts in Young Goodman Brown

Martha Ingalls Carrier was one of the first women named as a witch by the Salem Girls during the 1692 Salem witch trials.

The title of “deacon” refers to a minister or officer in the Christian church. Typically deacons perform administrative functions at the church and distribute the elements at communion during the Sabbath.

A “catechism” refers to a series of set religious questions and answers based around a book of instruction in the principles of the Christian faith. Puritans like Goodman Brown would have learned a series of questions and answers to confirm their faith and then use during church services.

Since the Puritans were Christian, the “Sabbath” refers to Sunday, a day of rest observed by Christians in prayer and service. The “lecture day” here possibly refers to a mid-week church meeting.

This is an early name for the state legislature of Massachusetts. Now known as the Massachusetts General Court, the name Great and General Court was used until 1780 when the state of Massachusetts adopted a new constitution.

At Christian masses or services, one of the acts that believers participate in is called “communion,” a custom which emphasizes the personal sacrifice of Jesus Christ and his relationship to Christians. Wine is the drink often used to symbolize the significance of Christ's death on the cross, although some denominations use grape juice or non-alcoholic substitutes.

New England in the 17th century saw one of the deadliest conflicts between the Native American tribes of the area and the Dutch and English colonists. King Philip was the adopted English name of Metacomb (or Metacomet), a Wampanoag chief, whose father enjoyed friendly relations with the Mayflower Pilgrims. However, the continued influx of colonists and treaties created tensions between the groups, resulting in war. The devil delights in telling Goodman Brown how he helped Brown’s father participate in this conflict.

A Quaker is a member of a religious movement founded by Christian preacher George Fox in the mid 17th century. This group emphasizes a direct relationship between the individual and the divine. Notably, Quakers were not viewed fondly by the Puritans in North America and were subjects of persecution. That the devil delights in the Puritans’ persecution of Quakers is also shown in Washington Irving’s “The Devil and Tom Walker,” in which the devil says that he amuses himself by watching the persecution of the Quakers and Anabaptists.

Puritans are a branch of English Protestants from the late 16th and 17th centuries who removed themselves from the Anglican Church of England, stating that the reformation under Elizabeth I was incomplete. Some sailed west across the Pacific ocean, including the Puritans who landed at Plymouth Rock and settled both Boston and Plymouth. Their Christian beliefs were notoriously strict; for example, Puritans believed that thinking about a sinful or evil action had the same effect on the soul as actually committing the action.

This is a reference to William III, also known as William of Orange, who ruled as king of England from 1689–1702, the time in which “Young Goodman Brown” is set.

One of the strongest beliefs of the Puritan faith is the innate depravity of mankind—in other words, men and women are born with sin and are inclined to be sinners.  Only God's grace, not their own efforts, will save them from their sin.

This may indicate that Goodman Brown's journey is taking place on All Hallow's Eve (Halloween), a time when the veil between living and dead is thin. Puritans believe that, of all nights in the year, this is a night during which Satan can be very dangerous.

Puritans believed that Satan could attack them in the form of dreams, so when Faith pleads with Brown to stay with her, she is genuinely afraid of what may happen to her while asleep.