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Controversial Themes In The Birthmark By Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Nathaniel Hawthorne was a renowned author during the early 1800s. Hawthorne was known for his exceptional skills in writing short stories and novels. Some of his famous works are The Scarlet Letter and The Birthmark. He was a descendant of one of the Salem Witch Trials judge that made Hawthorne despise the actions done by his ancestor. This influenced his writing as he writes controversial themes and is described to be a Dark Romantic novelist. The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne deals with morality, unable to control or fight against nature, and patriarchy.

Mostly everyone has multiple flaws but society looks down upon them just like Aylmer could not stand the birthmark in Georgina’s face. Georgina is described as one of the most …show more content…

Georgiana, who is very much content with the way she looks was convinced by Aylmer to do an experiment on her face despite it being unsafe and dangerous. In the line, “He had devoted himself, however, too unreservedly to scientific studies ever to be weaned from them by any second passion,”(Hathorne) Aylmer’s true feelings about Georgiana only being second to science. To Georgiana, loving and taking care of him is her top priority and her fear of losing her husband’s love and her desires to please everyone around her caused her own life. Georgiana exclaims, “‘Shocks you, my husband!" cried Georgiana, deeply hurt; at first reddening with momentary anger, but then bursting into tears. "Then why did you take me from my mother's side? You cannot love what shocks you (Hawthorne)!" In this statement, Georgiana reveals her discontent and anger towards her husband who does not show his appreciation for marrying such a beauty. Georgiana says, “"Danger is nothing to me; for life, while this hateful mark makes me the object of your horror and disgust, — life is a burden which I would fling down with joy. Either remove this dreadful hand, or take my wretched life!" (Hathorne). Georgiana would rather die and have the mark remove than her husband look at her in disgust. The one-sided relationship brought her

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The first and most important use of symbolism we receive is that of the birthmark. We learn that, “in the centre of Georgians's left cheek, there was a singular mark, deeply interwoven, as it were, with the texture and substance of her face” (205). Upon further reading Hawthorne tells us that, “Its shape bore not a little similarity to the human hand” (205). Georgiana had a birthmark right in the middle of her left cheek that resembled a tiny hand in which Aylmer thought was very imperfect. The birthmark symbolizes mortality or an imperfection of

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Aylmer believes that he can correct “what Nature left imperfect in her fairest work!” (4). Aylmer, who stands as a symbol for science, obsessively seeks to remove Georgiana’s birthmark and make her ideal. When mankind attempts to change nature in the pursuit of perfection, it never ends well as seen in Aylmer’s attempts at

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The image of it wrapping itself around her heart gives the impression that if it is removed then she will die. Georgiana even acknowledges this thought when she tells Aylmer, “Or, it may be, the stain goes as deep as life itself.” (647). These thoughts all provide

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At the end of the story Aylmer regretted pressuring his wife to change herself and feels remorseful for what he did. The Birthmark follows the struggles of man versus nature and man versus self. The main character Aylmer suffered no not being about to accept the flaws of his wife but also the fact that he cannot do everything, mostly because it is not his place to do these things. As the story develops the need for Aylmer to reach perfection grows stronger and later kills his wife.

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Theme Of Perfection In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Birthmark

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Aylmer is consumed with a pursuit of perfection in his scientific studies and also in nature. The leads to Aylmer being appalled at the blemish on his wife Georgiana’s cheek. He tells Georgiana “you came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature, that this slightest possible defect..shocks me, as being the visible mark of earthly imperfection” (216). This is the catalyst for Aylmer's seeking for perfection in his wife who is a natural being. Aylmer recognizes that there is a “fatal flaw of humanity, which Nature...stamps ineffaceable on all her productions” (216).

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When Aylmer Wrote The Birthmark

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The complication of the story is Georgina’s flaw is not as easy as it seems. Aylmer’s dreams: he tried to remove her birthmark, the deeper he cut, the deeper the birthmark went, until it was deep to reach protagonist’s heart to take it out. This dream made protagonist very up sad: it made her consider she was not perfection enough for her husband. Therefore, she was submission to the antagonist, as well as taking her social responsibility of serving his crave and living a life of achieving his satisfaction. As we can look into the story that narrator never mentioned that the protagonist opposition on antagonist physical appearance.

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Compare And Contrast Rappaccini's Daughter And The Birthmark

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