As the Romantic writers escalated their movements during the American Renaissance, birth of new challengers rose, called the Dark Romantics. “The Cask of Amontillado” written by Edgar Allan Poe and “The Minister’s Black Veil” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne are two pieces of writing that exposes the darkness of humans. “The Cask of Amontillado” reveals the narrator’s intention of murder, while “The Minister’s Black Veil” unveils the human’s irrational fear of differences. As Dark Romantics, Poe and Hawthorne both proclaim that humans are creatures that naturally descend into the darkness, to prove their points, they use lush, highly descriptive language, point of view, and rich symbolism.
Edgar Allan Poe, the author of “The Cask of Amontillado”…show more content… Compared to “The Cask of Amontillado,” Hawthorne does not reveal the mind of the protagonist, Mr. Hooper, but rather the thought of his surrounding. As Mr. Hooper wears a conspicuous black veil, it causes fear and terror within the community. For years Mr. Hooper wore the black veil, even on his deathbed, Mr. Hooper continued to wear the black veil, “He even raised himself in bed; and sat, shivering with the arms of death around him, while the black veil hung down, awful, at the last moment, in the gathered terrors of a lifetime,” as if the black veil was alive, the quote displays the veil as a symbol. The black veil is a symbol of human fear and sins, the society feared Mr. Hooper for his slight difference, but society does not fear the sins they have committed. Hawthorne also focuses on the obscurity of nature through descriptive nature, “Father Hooper’s breath heaved; it rattled in his throat; but, with a mighty effort, grasping forward with his hands, he caught a hold of life, and held it back till he should speak,” the quotation provides a clear image of Mr. Hooper on his deathbed as he tries to speak for one last time. A gloom, dark feeling is conveyed one last
