ipl-logo

Examples Of Romanticism In The Birthmark

437 Words2 Pages

A goal of romanticism is to display strong emotions. However as quickly as emotions can grow, Hawthorne shows that when the emotions grow too strong love can get dangerous, well in this short story even deadly. The dominant issue in “The Birthmark” is that of Georgiana’s human imperfection, as symbolized by the birthmark. The theme of imperfection arises frequently in the statements made by Aylmer, even the distinguishable ones. Aylmer states, “I am convinced of the perfect practicality of its removal” (Hawthorne 648). Aylmer obsession with the success of science overweighs the love he has for his wife. Georgina comes to terms that her identity is imperfect and that she is self-worthless if she is not perfect in her husband's eyes. Georgina says, “If there be the remotest possibility of it, let the attempt be made, at whatever risk. …show more content…

Aminadab is the only character in the short story who has no desire to perfect Georgiana. Aylmer and Aminadab presents several images of almighty elements of men. Repeatedly in the story, Aylmer is characterized as portraying god-like qualities, while Aminadab is thought to be the representation of humans. The narrator states "…the indescribable earthiness that incrusted him, he seemed to represent man's physical nature; while Aylmer’s slender figure, and pale, intellectual face, were no less apt a type of the spiritual element" (Hawthorne 649). This comparison goes right back to the main issue in the story, the issue between impossible perfection and human imperfection. Aylmer thinks that himself is to be so powerful that he has powers beyond the realization of human ability to perform. One of many of Aylmer god-like statements is, “No king on his guarded throne could keep his life if I, in my private station, should deem that the welfare of millions justified me in depriving him of it." (Hawthorne

Show More
Related
1165 Words | 5 Pages

These scholars’ arguments contribute to the story, “The Birth-Mark”, Nathanial Hawthorne expresses the common personal issue that individuals possess. The Birth-Mark was about a man named Aylmer and his obsession of science and the birth mark on his wife’s face. The birth

Read More
123 Words | 1 Pages

While the entire focus of the story is on Georgiana's one physical flaw, it is Aylmer who seems to be irreparably flawed. An embodiment of the concept of "playing god" and a man obsessed with attaining divine perfection, he becomes unreasonably fixated on his wife's one apparent imperfection, going so far as unconsciously wanting to kill her just to dispose of it. Aylmer has been characterized by critics both as a representation of the higher nature of man, the spirit and the divine, and as a representation of ironic imperfection. Hawthorne's narrator, otherwise having a voice of his own, describes him in a strangely reverential manner:"Aylmer's slender figure, and pale, intellectual face, were no less apt a type of the spiritual element"

Read More
736 Words | 3 Pages

As the story progresses the audience can relate and sympathize with Georgiana as she is essentially the victim of her husband’s judgement and shock of what he claims to the birthmark to act as an ailment of her beauty. Aylmer goes on to calling her near perfection were it not for the birthmark, however as many would agree that in real life there is no such thing as perfection. Georgiana progressively begins to see her husband change and show his true nature. He becomes angry with her and does not trust her, leading to Georgiana essentially losing

Read More
590 Words | 3 Pages

Hawthorne uses imagery sense of smell to get readers to imagine the scene, “When Georgiana recovered consciousness she found herself breathing an atmosphere of penetrating fragrance, the gentle potency of which had recalled her from her deathlike faintness” (Hawthorne). “The Birthmark” also creates irony with “Aminadab, the less inferior man to Aylmer is the one who speaks sensible to Aylmer by disclaiming that if Georgiana was his wife, he would not try to remove the birthmark” (“The Birthmark”). The figurative language helps enhance the story. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s meaning for the story was a man’s strive to perfection only caused the death of his wife. Aylmer was too focused on what perfect could be, and Georgiana blindly agrees with him and decides to remove the birthmark, despite never having a problem with it.

Read More
791 Words | 4 Pages

In the short story “The Birthmark”, Nathaniel Hawthorne writes about a scientist, his wife, and the unhealthy relationship they share. The story follows Aylmer, a scientist, who is determined to remove his wife Georgiana’s birthmark. One aspect of their unhealthy relationship is Georgiana’s sole dependance on Aylmer. Furthermore, Aylmer does not view Georgiana as his equal. Not only this, but Aylmer frequently belittles her, continuously pointing out her flaws, which drives her to do something dangerous.

Read More
871 Words | 4 Pages

Later on Aylmer would come to understand how connected the birthmark was to Georgiana, just as Aminadab had understood earlier. Selfish and blinded by his obsession he continues the course of removing the birthmark costing Georgiana her

Read More
1470 Words | 6 Pages

Francisco Villegas Dr. Richard Coronado English 2326 September 29, 2014 Perfection Is Not A Goal Worth Pursuing In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, “The Birth-Mark,” Aylmer apparently after getting married with Georgiana noticed the birthmark Georgiana had in her left cheek. Aylmer is very troubled how the birthmark resembles in Georgiana’s face. He proclaimed that it is a natural flaw that has affected her vivid human perfection. Since Aylmer is a scientist he propose to Georgiana to get rid of her birthmark once and for all. At first she angrily questions Aylmer’s proposition, but her love for him changes her thoughts and she accepts to permanently get rid of the birthmark.

Read More
824 Words | 4 Pages

Symbolism in “The Birthmark” In “The Birthmark” Nathaniel Hawthorne gives us a story that is telling us on some level to accept your own, as well as other people's imperfections or it could destroy not only your relationship with them, but also your relationship with yourself. In this story Hawthorne uses symbolism to show us exactly how this kind of behavior can lead to not just ruining relationships, but in this case even death. In “The Birthmark” Hawthorne uses a wide variety of objects and people such as a withering flower, a birthmark, poison, Aylmer's dream and Georgiana's death, and even a character named Aminidab to symbolize that nobody is in fact perfect and we all must accept each others flaws in order to have good and healthy relationships.

Read More
633 Words | 3 Pages

It describes him as “Proficient in every branch of natural philosophy”, (Hawthorne, 365) to the extent that he even discovered an elixir that he could determine if a man would drop dead instantly or linger out years after only of a breath of this substance. We see a great irony in how intelligent Aylmer is, and yet how many scientific mistakes he makes. When he uses the elixir of life upon the flower, it grows beautifully but also self-combusts. He then tells Georgiana he will need to use a much stronger substance on her, in order to fix her birthmark. The flower very obviously foreshadows Georgiana’s death, and the result proves that Aylmer’s science can produce extremely unpredictable results.

Read More
717 Words | 3 Pages

In the story “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, he uses several techniques to help build his story. Hawthorne tells a story of a man of science whose name was Aylmer. He married a beautiful women named Georgiana, although she was quite beautiful she had a birthmark on her face which, in Aylmer’s eyes was an imperfection. Aylmer tries to perfect Georgiana, but in the end Aylmer’s attempts to change Georgiana causes him to lose her. Aylmer does not accept the idea of imperfections in people.

Read More
408 Words | 2 Pages

The hand serves as the image of mankind. Aylmer sees his wife’s birthmark as “the symbol of his wife’s liability to sin, sorrow, decay, and death” (2). The way he views the mark on her cheek serves as a reminder that death is inevitable for both him and Georgiana. It contrasts Aylmer’s idea of achieving perfection through science and it disturbs him. When Aylmer dreams of removing Georgiana’s birthmark, he sees that the hand’s “tiny grasp appeared to have caught hold of Georgiana’s heart; whence, however her husband was inexorably resolved to cut or wrench it away,” (3).

Read More
572 Words | 3 Pages

The fact that the Aylmer’s views were unaccepted by the rest of the world shows his views aren’t seen as correct. This is further strengthened by his incapability to find his wife beautiful because of a small birthmark

Read More
416 Words | 2 Pages

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).

Read More
743 Words | 3 Pages

Equally Aylmer and Dr. Rappiccini, both characters in Hawthorne’s works causes destruction of human life with selfish aims to perfect the woman of their choice. In the case of Aylmer’s love interest in science, just as with the case of Beatrice’s father, blinds him to the true beauty and humanity of the woman before him. Aylmer views Georgiana’s birthmark as a symbol of imperfection and tries to remove it. At the end of the story, Georgiana say, "My poor Aylmer," she repeated, with a more than human tenderness, "you have aimed loftily; you have done nobly. Do not repent that with so high and pure a feeling, you have rejected the best the earth could offer.

Read More
914 Words | 4 Pages

Aylmer’s potion doomed him by take away her breath. Aspiration for perfect wife not only kills Georgiana, it also spoils her husband because his longing to fabricate the ideal woman made him to overlook her true love and the beauty. Eventually, petty imperfection is all he could see when he romance with his wife. Georgian’s admirers are wise enough to understand that perfection is not a goal worth pursuing. Although these characters are invisible throughout the story they appreciate Georgina more than her husband does.

Read More

More about Examples Of Romanticism In The Birthmark

Related Topics

Open Document