How does Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil" relate to the Puritans?

The Puritans, of course, were historically a repressive
religious (Protestant) group that left England for the New World in hopes of living a
life free of the persecution at the hands of those who disagreed with their religious
doctrines. Ironically, however, the Puritans established thriving communities with their
strong work ethic, and then proceeded to persecute those among them who would not
conform to the letter of their law.

The Puritans were
dedicated to work to save themselves from the sin in the world. Those who deviated from
the teachings of the Bible were punished in a variety of ways. Excessuve drinking was
frowned upon. A man could not openly kiss his wife in public. Failure to attend church
could land one in the stocks, and if there were a suspicion of "congress" with the
Devil, a man or woman would be put to death.

Puritans were
intolerant, motivated to avoid sin, while watching carefully for sin in others. Guilt
was a great force in the Puritans' beliefs. While they accomplished a great deal, for
example, in providing education for all children, their intolerance made it difficult
for the church to thrive in a young and changing
country.

In "The Minister's Black Veil," by Nathaniel
Hawthorne, Mr. Hooper, the parson (minister) is perceived to be a "self-disciplined"
man, a Puritan trait which would have been admired by the people of his Puritan
congregation. In wearing the veil, they believe that if Hooper has not gone insane, he
is guilty of a dark and terrible sin.

The veil becomes the
center of discussion for all those in the congregation. When Hooper oversees the funeral
of of a young woman, the superstitions that guided the Puritans can be seen: when the
veil falls away as Hooper leans over the deceased, one woman is sure the corpse
"shuddered," and others imagine a vision of Hooper and the corpse walking, holding
hands.

People begin to avoid Hooper because he makes them
feel uncomfortable; his original sermon upon donning the veil, spoke to the mask all
people wear around others to hide their sins. The congregation was greatly moved by the
message, perhaps due to a sense of guilt—a Puritan belief that all people are
sinners.

Hooper's sweetheart, Elizabeth, ends the
relationship because he will not remove the veil. So the years pass, and Hooper remains
alone, an outcast from his society.

On his deathbed, he
once again stresses the message of his earlier sermon. He points out that he wears a
tangible veil that hides his face, but that others do the same with the mask each wears
to hide his/her sins from others. The Puritans' sense of evil in the world, the constant
warring of God against the Devil, and the vigilance to avoid sin and damnation, are
reflected in the darkness of Hawthorne's message. Even into death, Hooper wears the
veil, perhaps symbolic of the Puritans' belief that all people's souls are black from
sin. Forgiveness or deliverance from sin are not promoted in this faith, and the color
of the veil paints a somber, frightening picture of the Puritans' perceptions of the
world and man's place within that world.