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An Incomplete Man: An Analysis of Mr. Hooper in The Minister`s BlackVeil with Freudian Personality StructureContent1 Introduction2 Brief Introduction to Freud`s Id, Ego and Superego3 Severe Id-repression of Mr. Hooper4 The Disorder of Mr. Hooper`s Ego5 The Overwhelming Success of Mr. Hooper`s Superego6 Conclusion1 IntroductionNathaniel Hawthorn is the founder of American psychoanalytic novel and regarded as the greatest romantic novelist during the 19th America. One of his central focus is the completeness of human being. The goal of this paper is to explore the incompleteness of Mr. Hooper in The Minister`s Black Veil with Freudian Personality Structure: id, ego and superego, aiming at digging out the nature deep in Mr. Hooper`s consciousness.Critics explain this short novels, especially its main character priest Hooper, from various levels and perspectives. For instance, feminists regard Mr. Hooper as a Sexual Escapist, just like Elmer in Birthmark and Brown in Young Goodman Brown. Some think that Mr. Hooper is arrogant; some regard Mr. Hooper as a demon. In Shang Xiaojin`s Nathaniel Hawthorne Selected Readings and Critical Inthrodutions, the author thinks that Mr.Hooper has, just like Nathaniel Hawthorne, a sober awareness about human being`s crime, and wants to call forth people`s perception of crime, aiming at purifying human being`s soul and perfecting human being`s morality. However, on the other hand, Mr. Hooper has certain doubt about moral superiority, and is caught in egoism, like Ethan Brand---one of Nathaniel Hawthorne`s fictional character, so that the chain, connecting human being`s friendship and affection is cut off. In one word, the interpretation of Mr. Hooper is various. SamuelCoale summarizes these various explanation as follows:Mr. Hooper, regarded by people as a sinner, nearly a demon, is a man who is without belief, arrogant, blasphemous, and addicted to sin. He is also an obsessive religious fanatics, a cruel Calvinist christian, a principal criminal of the most heinous guilt, a coward afraid of women, a Sexual Escapist and doomed to be lonely, lost and despair. He is a vivid moral allegory.It seems that most of the studies about Mr. Hooper neglects one of Nathaniel Hawthorn`s main focus: the completeness of human being. Therefore, this paper is going to study the protagonist Mr. Hooper`s completeness.In order to achieve this goal, this paper is divided into four chapters together with an introduction and a conclusion.The introduction begins with a brief introduction to the goal of this paper , then the literature review and last the organization of this paper.The second part is a brief introduction to Freud`s personality structure, that is, id, ego and superego, aiming at offering a theoretic basis for this paper.The next three parts argue why Mr. Hooper is an incomplete man from three parts based on Freud`s theory. Firstly, the severe id-repression of Mr. Hooper, secondly, the disorder of ego, and last the overwhelming success of Mr. Hooper`s superego.All in all, this paper holds the idea that Mr. Hooper in The Minister`s Black Veil is a incomplete man.2 Brief Introduction to Freud`s Id, Ego and SuperegoAccording to the theory of Freud's psychoanalysis, human mind is like a huge iceberg. The invisible section beneath the surface of it is defined as the unconscious driven out of unawareness which is called "id". The visible section of the iceberg is rational and reasonable awareness, and defined as the conscious which is called "ego". Above the "ego" is "superego". Freud's concept of the elements of personality states that the mind of the person is structured and is composed of three structural categories: id, ego and superego.In his essay "The Ego and the Id", Freud presents the "id" as follows: an individual is looked upon as a psychical id, unknown and unconscious. The id attracts all kinds of instinctual forces in order to find their mental representation. (Hanks, 1974:67) The instincts in the id press for immediate satisfaction, regardless of all else and in this way either fail of achievement or actually do damage. From the point of view of instinctual control, of morality, it may be said of the id that it is totally non-moral. (Ego, 1984:94)The“ego”, according to the 1974 edition of Encyclopedic World Dictionary defines it as “that part of the psychic apparatus which experiences the outside world and reacts to it, thus mediating between theprimitive drives of the id and the demands of the social and physical environment.”(Hanks, 1974: 514)The "superego" holds up certain norms of behavior, without regard to anydifficulties coming from the "id" and the external world. It is the part of the mind thatopposes the desires of the id by enforcing moral restrictions and by striving to attain agoal of "ideal" perfection. (Lahey, 1995:460-63) The Encyclopedic World Dictionarydefines it as "that part of the psychic apparatus which mediates between ego drivesand social ideals, acting as a conscience which may be partly conscious and partly unconscious." According to the fifteenth edition of Encyclopedia Britannica, the"superego" represents the internalization of parental standards and authority. In thenormal male child, it replaces the oedipal desire for the mother. The developingsuperego thus absorbs the traditions of the family and the surrounding society, servingchiefly to control sexual and aggressive impulses that threaten social structures.3 Severe Id-repression of Mr. HooperMr. Hooper is a puritan whose doctrines greatly limit his behaviors, concepts and daily life, which is the reason why Mr. Hooper`s ID is repressed severely.As we know, asceticism is one of the principles of Puritanism. Asceticism refers to opposition to unreasonable enjoy of one`s life or anything in one`s life because all these things, your life and anything inyour life, are given by the God. Any wasting of these things is blasphemy. Besides, Puritanism does not agree with anything without religious values, and puritans stands on the side of reason and science, opposing feelings and sense and arranging everything in a rational way. All these kinds of puritan asceticism are engraved in Mr. Hooper`s mind and become the doorkeeper of ID`s prison, preventing even one step of ID out the prison.In this short novel , a lot of things can reflect the great repression of Mr.Hooper`s ID. Next, this paper is going to talk about these things one by one.During the ceremony of Mr. Hooper`s parishioner, as a respected reverend, it is pastor Hooper`s duty to perform the ceremony, wish happiness to the new married couple, send God`s best wishes, and bring happiness and hope to their marriage life. All the above things are performed well by Mr. Hooper. However, what Mr. Hooper`s problem is the big difficult to be a happy and normal wedding gusts. “At that instant, catching a glimpse of his figure in the looking-glass, the black veil invovled his own spirit in the horror with which it overwhelmed all others. His frame shuddered, his lips grew white, he split the untasted wine upon the carpet and rushed forth into the darkness, for the Earth too had on her black veil. ”Although Nathaniel Hawthorne does not talk about the surprised faces of the new married couple and other wedding guest the moment when Mr. Hooper`s frame shuddered, his lips grew white, hesplit the untasted wine upon the carpet and rushed forth into the darkness. It is a piece of cake for us to imagine others` reaction to Mr. Hooper`s behaviors. Nobody will consider wedding ceremony as something so horrible or unpleasant that they are eager to escape from it as soon as possible. On the contrary, everybody like to participate the wedding ceremony, enjoying the happiness and wonderful hopes brought to them by the new married couples. However, this natural thing is so hard for Mr.Hooper, because his ID is under great repression. At first, Mr. Hooper does enjoy the happiness brought about by the wedding. “Mr. Hooper raised a glass of qine to his lips, wishing happiness to the new married couple in a strain of mild pleasantry that ought to have brighten the features of the guests like a cheerful gleam from the hearth.” From this part, we can see that Mr. Hooper`s ID is eager to enjoy the wedding happiness, but what happened and made him escape from the wedding ceremony? “Catching a glimpse of his figure in the looking-glass, the black veil......” It is his glimpse of the black veil in the looking-glass that forces him to shudder and escape from all these happiness he is ready to enjoy, that is to say, the glimpse of the black veil forces him to repress the desires of his ID and what`s more, the desires for happiness of ID is subject to the things desired by his superego.Mr. Hooper`s ID is always repressed by his superego. His superego not only represses ID`s desire for happiness, as is revealed in the weddingceremony, but also its desire for company.Nobody in Milford village wants to get close to Mr. Hooper, from the youngest to the oldest. “None, as on former occasions, aspired to the honor of walking by their pastor`s side. Old Squire Saunders --- doubtless by an accidental lapse of memory --- neglected to invite Mr. Hooper to his table, where the good clergyman had been wont to bless the food almost every Sunday since his settlement......”, “It was remarkable that of all the busybodies and impertinent people in the parish, not one ventured to put the plain question to Mr. Hooper wherefore he did this thing.......”There are many many examples to identify that Mr. Hooper is isolated by his parishioners after he wears his black veil. But regardless of others` alienation, Mr. Hooper insist in wearing his black veil, but with great pain because his quest of company from his self is repressed by his superego. He is lonely, from his dialogue to Elizabeth we can see that.”Take is not amiss, beloved friend, if I wear this piece of crape till then.””Have patience with me, Elizabeth! Cried he, …Do not desert me though this veil must be between us here on earth. Be mine, and thereafter ...... Oh, 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 for ever‟.” This part reveals that Mr. Hooper is miserable behind the horrible black veil. Under such circumstance, his ID must require to cast away the horrible black veil as soon as possible for the ID regards the “happy principle” asthe highest principle. However, Mr. Hooper does not do as what his ID requires for his ID is highly repressed.The severe repression of ID changes the originally highly respected reverend Mr. Hooper into a ghost-like human being.Mr. Hooper`s severe id-repression prevents him from enjoying the spontaneous overflow of his emotions and feelings, which indicated that he is a incomplete man.4 The Disorder of Mr. Hooper`s EgoAs we know, the main duty of ego is to mediate between Id and superego, satisfying Id`s happy desire on the one hand and meeting superego`s requirements on the other hand. However, things are not always going smoothly all the time. If one`s Id fails to achieve its duty, according to Freud, usually there will be two kinds of consequences. One is that the Id`s happy desire becomes in the dominant places and Id`s becoming privileged, which is regarded as the disorder of ego, will make one do what ever he can to be happy even violating social moral and legal principles. The other is that superego`s principles is in the dominant place, which also is regarded as the disorder of ego and as a result, one is tended to be a perfect guy doing everything following the superego principles, even at the cost of their happiness desired by the Id.All in all, the disorder of one`s ego will result in two different extremes. One is happy first, and the other is rule first. Following thisargument, we can easily put Mr. Hooper into the second group for in order to meet his superego principles, especially his religious doctrines, he gives up many many happiness including his marriage, which also reveals the disorder of Mr. Hooper`s ego. He can not have a good balance between the happy desires of his Id and the superego principles, so that he wears a horrible black veil. Next this paper is going to exemplify Mr. Hooper`s ego disorder.The most obvious evidence is his unwillingness to cast away his black veil that involves everyone in Milford village into great horror even himself. Under this condition, his Id must say to him “come on, guy, cast away that black crape, and get yourself out of horror”, while his superego must warn him that your casting aside it means the death of yourself. At the same instant, it is his ego like a mediator to balance these two enemies` different requirements. However, unfortunately, because of the disorder of his ego, Mr. Hooper says that so far as my vow may suffer me. Know, then, this veil is a type and a symbol, and I am bound to wear it ever, both in light and darkness, in solitude and before the gaze of multitudes, and as with strangers, so with my familiar friends. No mortal eyes will see it withdrawn. This dismal shade must separate me from the world; even you, Elizabeth, can never come behind it. He even does not allow his fiance to look behind that black veil for his disorder of his ego.The disorder of Mr. Hooper makes him unwilling to take away hisblack veil until his death. “But, exerting a sudden energy that made all the beholders stand aghast, Father Hooper snatched both his hands from beneath the bedclothes and pressed them strongly on the black veil, resolute to struggle if the minister of Westbury would contend with a dying man, …Never!‟ cried the veiled clergman. …On earth, never‟.” How horrible he is. His ego`s disorder has changed him into a ghost-like person.His ego disorder also buried his happy life with his fiance Elizabeth. He can not balance his relationship with Elizabeth and his superego rules. On the one hand, he wants to be with Elizabeth. After Elizabeth decides to leave him, Mr. Hooper cries that have patience with me, Elizabeth! Do not desert me though this veil must be between us here on earth. Be mine, and hereafter there shall be no veil over face, no darkness between our souls. On the other hand, he obeys his religious doctrines. If his ego functions well, it is possible for him to find a good solution to balance these two things. But he does not. He does not marry with Elizabeth until he dies.Mr. Hooper`s ego disorder makes him difficult to balance the happy principles from id and the superego principles. This paper thinks that it is the basic reason why Mr. Hooper is a incomplete man.5 The Overwhelming Success of Mr. Hooper`s SuperegoThe duty of one`s superego is to force him to be a perfect guy,following all social, legal, religious, moral etc. Rules, regardless of one`s personal willing. When the happy principles from the id always gives way to the superego, it will make one person have the image of rigidness, for all your body language, behaviors, or discourse are limited in the frame of the superego principles, without any personal emotions or any permission for jumping out this superego frame. This kind of id`s surrender is the result of the overwhelming success of superego, which can be often perceived from Mr. Hooper.Because of Mr. Hooper`s superego`s whelming success, he looks like a man in the condom. His steps are always quiet and slow. “Mr. Hooper pacing slowly his meditative way toward the meeting-house.”“Mr. Hooper walked onward at a slow and quiet pace......”“He entered with an almost noiseless step......”There is a superego principle called “asceticism”taking from his puritan doctrines, because of which, Mr. Hooper`s smile is always faint and weak, “A sad smile gleamed faintly from beneath the black veil and flickered about his mouth, glimmering as he disappeared.” It seems that anything from his id “happy principles”is held back by him, for the superego`s whelming success. He , in order to obey the religious rules, sacrifices his marriage. He will not cast away his black veil and says that no mortal eyes can see behind it, even though his beloved Elizabeth is going to leave him for his wearing that black veil. He says firmly toElizabeth “ Never! It can not be!”.In front of death, Mr. Hooper`s superego still achieve its overwhelming success. Although Mr. Hooper does not get married with Elizabeth, Elizabeth still be with his side until his death. How deep her love is! How loyal she is! However, unfortunately, the superego principles are the only things in Mr. Hooper`s eyes. He even does not show his appreciation or thanks to Elizabeth, let alone his deep love for her. He does love her, which can be seen from his great miserable when Elizabeth decided to leave him. How cold he is! How heartless he is to let down his beloved fiance.Mr. Hooper can never be the master of his superego. From this perspective, Mr. Hooper is a totally loser. Although he obeys his religious doctrines strictly, he is still an incomplete man.6 ConclusionOne man can be a complete man only if Freud`s three id, ego and superego all function well. However, none of Mr. Hooper`s three personalities work well. His id is under great repression; his ego`s function is in disorder; and his superego has two much privileged power. Therefore, according to Freud`s theory, Mr. Hooper is definitely not a complete man.From Freud`s theory of personality structure, Mr. Hooper is not a complete man. As we know, there are many many different ways toapproach a character, for example, Mr. Hooper. It is worth for us to take further exploration.ReferenceLeland S. Person, The Cambridge Introduction to Nathaniel Hawthorne(Shanghai Foreign Language Education press, 2008),1-16.Shang Xiaojin, Nathaniel Hawthorne Selected Readings and Critical Introductions (Shanghai University Press, 2010), 220-225N. S. Boone. “The Minister`s Black Veil”and Hawthorne`s Ethical Refusal of Reciprocity: A Levinasian Parable. Renascence, 2005, (57)3: 165-166.Newman Lea Bertani Vozar. A Reader`s Guide to the Short Stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1979: 204.Hawthorn, Nathaniel. The Minister`s Black Veil. Translated by Huangxiao, Fudan University Press, 2014.Hawthorn, Nathaniel. The Minister`s Black Veil. 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