Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Gothic tale, "The Maypole of Merry Mount" first appeared in his collection of short stories, Twice-Told Tales, in 1837.
Midsummer’s Eve
Hawthorne’s narrator introduces the readers to Merry Mount by describing the May Pole and how the happy people of Merry Mount attracted the spirit of May. He sets the scene as being Midsummer’s Eve and foreshadows coming events when he says, “Jollity and gloom were contending for an empire.”
After describing the vividly decorated May Pole, the narrator describes the creatures that surround it. The assembly around the pole is a strange group, some of them are animal, while others seem to be half animal and half human; still others are described as fully human but with a distorted appearance.
The King and Queen of May
Among the carnival of creatures surrounding the May Pole are two beautiful people: a young man and a young woman who are the King and Queen of May. They are to begin their married life together after a formal marriage ceremony. Standing with the young couple is an English priest who combines the traditional garb of priesthood with the heathen flowers of the Maypole. He calls the party to order and begins the nuptial celebration.
The narrator asserts that the marriage was one of the few serious events that occurred in Merry Mount. Although the couple would be the King and Queen only until sunset, the marriage was permanent.
A Premonition of Change
The King of May, a young man named Edgar, looks at his bride, Edith. Edith is pensive. Edgar is very concerned. He asks her why she is upset and suggests that she be happy because this might be the happiest memory in their lives. She replies that the idea of this being the highpoint of their life is the exact reason she is disturbed.
The Narrator’s Commentary
The narrator interrupts the story to share a little about the history of Merry Mount and the surrounding colonies. He begins with the revealing statement, “Two hundred years ago, and more, the old word and its inhabitants became mutually weary of each other.” He describes the migration of people from the Old World to the New World. These immigrants brought with them the pagan rituals and celebrations that they had once enjoyed in their old home.
Unfortunately, the party crowd was followed by the church crowd. Puritans moved into nearby settlements. He describes the rigid ritual of their life and how their parties were days of fasting and prayer (a stark contrast to the hedonistic orgy of the party crowd). Eventually the two settlements feuded.
Twilight at the May Pole
As dusk falls, the partiers are surrounded by a group of darkly dressed human figures. Merry Mount’s Puritan neighbors have come, led by John Endicott, to break up the party. Endicott denounces the May Pole celebration and cuts it down.
After he cuts the tree down, an ancient Puritan named Peter Palfrey asks what ought to be done with the captured partiers. Endicott almost wishes he had not cut down the May Pole as it would have made an excellent whipping post. He orders the prisoners to be whipped and the dancing bear to be shot.
Then Peter Palfrey presents Edgar and Edith to Endicott. He suggests that they deserve a double amount of strikes with the whip. However, Endicott sees something pure and good in the young couple. He begins to pronounce their punishment, but the young couple each tries to defend the other by asking that the punishment fall on them alone. Endicott is moved. He commands that they be given the chance to behave and act decently. He has them dressed modestly and has the Edgar’s hair cut in a pumpkin shell style, which signifies the strict lifestyle of Puritanism.
The narrator ends by stating that the young couple, who "went heavenward, supporting each other along the difficult path which it was their lot to tread," never regretted the loss of their carefree life at Merry Mount.
Source:
- Hawthorne, Nathaniel. Twice-Told Tales. Reader’s Digest Association Inc. 1989.
Melissa Howard - I am a stay-at-home Mom. My college education was in English and History and my last job was as a Technical Writer. Now that I ...
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