Fictional CharacterAmericanFictional — Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Goodman Brown
Protagonist of Hawthorne's allegorical short story about moral ambiguity
Biography
The protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story 'Young Goodman Brown,' a Puritan man who takes a mysterious journey through the forest that tests his faith and morality.
Quick Facts
Category
Fictional Character
Nationality
American
Appears In
Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Thinking about the name
Goodman
English origin
“Derived from Old English 'gōd' (good) and 'mann' (man), Goodman originally denoted a man of virtue or a householder of good standing in medieval communities. It later became a surname and has occasionally been revived as a given name, particularly in historical or literary contexts. The name evokes integrity and respectability.”