Journal 28

Nika Bogoslovsky
11/16/07
Hawthorne

"Have patience with me, Elizabeth!" cried he, passionately. "Do not desert me, though this veil must be between us here on earth. Be mine, and hereafter there shall be no veil over my face, no darkness between our souls! It is but a mortal veil--it is not for eternity! O! you know not how lonely I am, and how frightened, to be alone behind my black veil. Do not leave me in this miserable obscurity forever!"

Summary:

This takes place after the conversation Mr. Hooper and Elizabeth have. After he refuses to take the veil off, Elizabeth sees the veil in a new light and seems to get scared. He continues to refuse to take it off so then she leaves him.

Response:

This part of their conversation is so frustrating, she’s asking him to take off the veil, telling him that his face makes her happy and he refuses because it’s part of his mourning and secret sin. He says to her that he’ll wear it to his grave and she freaks out a bit, which is completely understandable. Then he goes on to tell her to be patient and that he’s lonely and frightened? Talk about being offensive! She’s his fiancé for crying out loud, what does he have to be lonely for. She’s there for him and he’s ignoring her company and comfort. Then he acts like it’s not his fault that he’s wearing this veil, like it’s out of his control when he put it on and refused to take it off. It sounds like he almost blames Elizabeth for the veil when he asks her not to leave him that way, which is the frustrating part, because he put himself in that state. I suppose if she really loved him, she would wait for eternity, but where is the compromise?