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Science Vs. Nature/God In The Birthmark

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Science vs. Nature/God in ‘The Birthmark” In the 19th century, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote “The Birthmark” during a time of science and innovation called the Industrial Revolution. People have questioned of the steps science has taken to have control over nature and act as God. In ‘The Birthmark” there is a man named Aylmer who is obsessed with science. His idea of perfection will become a challenge for him. The reader may ask the question, “does Aylmer push the scientific boundaries too far, or is his experiment justifiable?” In his story, Hawthorne states that science can go too far, and this story serves as a warning. “The Birthmark” was written during a time of science and progress that changed the world. Many scientists and inventors were …show more content…

She is considered by everyone to be perfect, but to Aylmer she isn't perfect because of her small birthmark on her cheek. This imperfection soon causes Aylmer to no longer see her beauty, but now he only sees flaws or the “crimson hand” on her cheek(Myriad). Georgiana didn't see her birthmark as an imperfection until Aylmer had mentioned it, ”To tell you the truth it has been so often called a char that I was simple enough to imagine it might be so.”(Hawthorne 1), and now Georgiana cannot be comfortable around her husband and wants him to remove the birthmark and never look at it again “Oh, spare me!, sadly replied his wife. “Pray do not look at it again. I never can forget that convulsive shudder”(Hawthorne 5).We see how Aylmer is controlled by obsession of the birthmark and Georgiana has become his project to achieve perfection, but in dark romanticism nature is not meant to be perfect. Aylmer also has a assistant named Aminadab who can be seen as “nature” or “earthiness” because he says “If she were my wife, I’d never part with that birthmark.”(Hawthorne 4). At the end of the story after Georgiana has died, laughter is heard and is a representation of nature laughing at sciences failure(Myriad). Hawthorne uses Aminadab to again show how nature won't allow perfection and his experiment is a warning to how science can go too

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