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Imperfections In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Birthmark

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Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark” is an age-old story that scholars have been studying since its publication. One of the commanding themes of the story, man vs. nature, illustrates imperfections that humanity deals with daily. The story shows that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and that while some view certain features as imperfections, others view them as unique. The story follows Georgiana and her abusive husband Aylmer in his unrelenting quest to remove what he views as her only imperfection off her cheek. As Hawthorne’s short story illustrates, no one, despite their efforts, is perfect; in an imperfect world, true perfection will never be achieved. Throughout the story, the characters’ perceptions of the birthmark differ as Aylmer sees the mark as Georgiana’s imperfection, Georgiana sees the mark as a charm – that belief changes though when Aylmer insists on removing it, and Aminidab sees the birthmark as an indication of her beauty and humanity. …show more content…

Aylmer states, “Georgiana, has it never occurred to you that the mark upon your cheek might be removed?” Aylmer sees the birthmark as a symbol of his wife’s imperfection; this section in the story is ironic because this should be the peak of their romance and instead Alymer is continuously ridiculing Georgiana. One of the overarching themes of Hawthorne’s writing conveys to the reader the lesson that nothing or no one is perfect. Aylmer states that the imperfection “...Is a liability to sin, sorrow, decay, and death...” With his fascination for flawlessness, Aylmer fails to see his wife’s absolute beauty and her humanity. Instead, he dwells upon the birthmark, which distracts him from what should be his primary concern – loving

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Which leads him to the point of using science to remove the birth mark. Aylmer’s obsession of removing the birth mark led to the death of his wife, Georgina. Hawthorne uses Aylmer to present a common issue that individuals have. Furthermore, each scholar help better understand the theme of obsession and achieving a goal that leads individuals to a path of negativity because of individuals’ foolishness to achieve perfection, science vs naturality, and mental isolation.

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(147) At the end of the story, Aylmer accomplishes the surgical procedure of removing the birth mark; however, it killed his wife in the process. Hawthorne uses The Birth Mark as a lesson to be learned that everyone cannot be perfect. Georgiana represents the closest state to perfection that someone can get in this world; although, Aylmer is not satisfied with that. Howard states, “Aylmer feels that the mark may render him unnecessary to Georgiana.(135)

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Forty-three years later, Roe v. Wade continues to be one of the most, if not the most, controversial decisions made by the United States Supreme Court. It is a very hot button issue in politics, with republicans usually disagreeing with the decision and democrats supporting it. Then there are many people in the middle, some who support abortion but want more restrictions such as how far into her pregnancy a woman can terminate or others who want abortion to be illegal, but want exceptions for certain cases, such as rape, incest, or when the mother’s life is in danger. Liberals says women should have complete control and say over their own body, and conservatives say that a fetus is a human life from the moment of conception, and therefore should

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We all have obsessions whether it is a hobby or sometimes a person. But sometimes our obsession over powers us, and causes us to act unusual. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, “The Birthmark,” Hawthorne introduces Aylmer, a man of science, who has an obsession over removing a birthmark on his wife, Georgiana’s, face. Aylmer is so concerned with removing the birthmark on Georgiana’s face that he becomes too caught up in his science and neglects the love for his wife. Aylmer doesn’t realize it but not only is the birthmark an imperfection, the birthmark is also keeping Georgiana alive.

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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.

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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.

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Georgiana took note of Aylmer’s displeasure of the birthmark from the dream and through his stealthy stare, causing Georgina displeasure (Nathaniel Hawthorne 114). Aylmer’s further loathing of the birthmark, causes Georgiana to give up for the sake of his happiness. She tells, Aylmer after bringing up the conversation of the birthmark, “Either remove this dreadful hand, or take my wretched life!” (Nathaniel Hawthorne 114). Aylmer could have avoided tragedy, however he failed to listen to his assistant Aminadab, who stated he would “never part with that birthmark” (Nathaniel Hawthorne 114).

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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.

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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.

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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).

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In The Birthmark, Hawthorne depicts the obsession for perfection, the tole it takes on one and the consequences it has. The quest for perfection is unrealistic and unobtainable as we are only mere humans incapable of reconstructing our DNA. In The Birthmark, Hawthorne tells the story of a woman named Georgiana and her scientist husband Aylmer, who are both fixated on a birthmark similar to the look of a tiny human hand. Aylmer is disgusted by Georgiana’s birthmark, wanting to please her husband Georgiana is willing to do anything for him to look at her in a normal manner “Danger is nothing to me;for life which this hateful mark

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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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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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In the short story “The Birth-Mark” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the reader is introduced to a tragic love story that shows how foolhardy it is to make someone perfect. Hawthorne hammers this theme throughout the story of the scientist Aylmer and his lovely wife, Georgiana, who has a small, hand shaped birthmark on her cheek on the left side of her face. Aylmer develops a fixation on the birthmark that keeps his wife from being the image of perfection, and vows to use his scientific knowledge to remove it. Over the course of “The Birth-Mark” Hawthorne uses imagery and symbolism, figurative language, and type of narrator and narration. Hawthorne's use of vivid imagery and symbols to describe the conflict between Aylmer and the birthmark vividly highlights the conflict of Aylmer's love for Georgiana and his distaste of the birthmark.

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When Aylmer demanded assistance from his servant, Aminadab, with Georgiana who was in a “lifeless form,” he muttered to himself: “If she were my wife, I’d never part with the birthmark” (Hawthorne 343). The ironic aspect of this part of the story is the servant, the scientist's personal laboratory rat, knew that the removal of such a tiny “defect” would end in a great loss. The “man of science,” the “philosopher,” the faith in man’s “ultimate control over nature,” all meant nothing. He could not see past his wife’s imperfection and look at what was truly important, her inner beauty. Destruction of beauty in this story, “The Birthmark,” is developed through the use of symbolism, conflict, and irony.

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