ipl-logo

Women Exposed In The Birth-Mark By Nathaniel Hawthorne

483 Words2 Pages

In the short story, “The Birth-Mark” written by, Nathaniel Hawthorne, explains a husband seeing the imperfections of his beautiful wife. Aylmer, husband, was quite an intelligent scientist. Overtime Aylmer was disgusted by his wife's, Georgiana, birthmark however, everyones else thought she was very beautiful the way she was created. Aylmer convinced Georgiana to have her birthmark removed, leaving her thinking death was a better option than living with a hideous mark on her cheek that her husband did not approve of. Georgiana felt as though she had to go through the procedure in order to fulfill her husbands desires. She then drank a potion making her feel very ill saying she was about to die. Unfortunately Georgiana lost her life to a procedure her husband asked her to get …show more content…

In the late 1700’s Aylmer thought of his wife as sheer physical beauty. He didn't take note not pay attention to her comments on his work. Aylmer wasn't giving his wife a chance to show her intelligences. Aylmer was putting down his wife as he's the stronger and more controlling gender. Another bias could be Georgiana and the many who adore her and called her perfect Aylmer doesn't receive the same affection from others. As well Aylmer's intelligence is as known or appreciated that Georgiana's beauty. Aylmer wanted many things his way but didn't realize that you don't always get what you want, his obsession to create a beautiful wife ended his wife. However, there should be no stronger side it should be equal. With Aylmer cruel mind convincing his wife of her hidouis mark perhaps Aylmer should of sought another solution. Maybe Aylmer was to focus on his wife not to see his own flaws maybe Georgiana could of been saved. Only if Aylmer were to have thought of listening to his wife and not think her as unhelpful aylmer would have his wife. But the bias gender roles then wouldnt allow for his wife to have a say in his

Show More
Related
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
801 Words | 4 Pages

In the text, Georgiana demonstrates her tolerance towards Alymer, as she remains obedient, and faithful, as his experiment reveals her a narrow chance of success. She is too tolerant to him, which made her easy to manipulate and control, as Hawthorn writes, “Much as he had accomplished, she could not but observe that his most splendid success were almost invariably failures, if compared with the ideal at which he aimed” (8). Although she noticed the slight chance of success, she still viewed her husband as a god, who she must not reason with further. Jane, on the other hand was intolerant to her husband. She was aware of the mistreatment by her husband, which ultimately compelled her to get revenge against him by making him faint, as Gilman writes “Now why should that man have fainted?

Read More
791 Words | 4 Pages

Georgiana’s dependance on Aylmer, the inequality of the relationship and Aylmer’s disregard for her feelings, are the main ingredients of Aylmer and Georgiana’s unhealthy relationship. Georgiana’s dependance on Aylmer contributes to their unhealthy relationship. When Aylmer and Georgiana got married, Georgiana was taken from her mother's house, forcing her to live an isolated life with Aylmer. Georgiana says, “Then why did you take me from my mother’s side? You can not love what shocks you!”

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

Since the beginning of the story it is clear that Aylmer’s passion for science is incredible, but the love for Georgiana is not. Hawthorne comments, “… it was not unusual for the love of science to rival the love of woman” (645). According to Hawthorne, “He had devoted himself, however, too unreservedly to scientific studies, ever to be weaned from them by any second passion. His love for his young wife might prove the stronger of the two; but it could only be by intertwining itself with his love of science, and uniting the strength of the latter to its own” (645).

Read More
824 Words | 4 Pages

He provides the story with a character that identifies contrast between the others. He is Aylmer's assistant although we tend to get the impression that he may actually be smarter than Aylmer in a way. As he realizes that Aylmer has killed Georgiana, he begins to laugh. He believes that Aylmer has simply got what was coming to him. He warned him that she already is perfect and says, “If she were my wife, I'd never part with that birthmark”(208).

Read More
408 Words | 2 Pages

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

Read More
941 Words | 4 Pages

The focus on “what could be” instead of “what really is” ruined Aylmer and it’s what ruins so many people in today’s culture. In The Birthmark as Georgina is dying it’s said that Aylmer’s assistant Aminadab, is chuckling but Hawthorne gives no reason as to why. Perhaps Aminadab sees the ridiculous and silliness of what Aylmer was trying to accomplish and can’t help himself from laughing. Maybe Aminadab sees the idiocy of trying to play against nature and is laughing because it took Aylmer so long to figure it

Read More
437 Words | 2 Pages

The passage also states “Now, only one thing remains to be tried. If that fails, we are ruined’ ‘Why did you hesitate to tell me this?’ asked she. “Because Georgiana,” said Aylmer, in a low voice ”there is danger.” (pg. 22

Read More
573 Words | 3 Pages

Aylmer was an evil human being who did not really care about his wife. He only cared about whether she was the perfect women and that led him into committing the murder of his so called “beloved

Read More
416 Words | 2 Pages

Aylmer cannot escape the imperfection of his wife and has a dream where he tries to remove the mark, but it is

Read More
436 Words | 2 Pages

The phrase “No, dearest Georgiana, you came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature, that this slightest possible defect, which we hesitate whether to term a defect or a beauty, shocks me, as being the visible mark of earthly imperfection”(212) was used to illustrate a point of Aylmer's obsession with the mark and how he is not satisfied with his wife's current aesthetics. Aylmer loves Georgiana

Read More
1139 Words | 5 Pages

As Georgiana reveals her true sentiments about her stigma, she states with a sense of pride, “To tell you the truth, it has been so often called a charm, that I was simple enough to imagine it might be so” (Hawthorne 378). In expressing this sense of pride, Georgiana exudes her initial happiness with her birthmark, as she rebuttals with Aylmer. Even in this moment, Hawthorne extracts the mission of Aylmer, as he says, “Until now he had not been aware of the tyrannizing influence acquired by one idea over his mind, and the lengths which he might find in his heart to go, for the sake of giving himself peace” (Hawthorne 380). This selfish statement, causes for readers to recognize that Aylmer was aware that it would be no simple task to convince his muse that it is necessary to change her indifference.

Read More
1607 Words | 7 Pages

To answer the question as to why the United Stated decision to increase their involvement into expansionism and foreign conflict during the 1890’s to the 1940’s, we would have to analyze the driving force and reasoning for them. Initially, during this time period, many aspect of the United States sociologic, and economical commonality and etiquettes were shifting due to a raise in population from both natural domestic births, as well as large immigration fluctuations, overall stability of the U.S economy and banking system. The three points that will be covered in this paper is the view on Woman and their status changed through the lens of the America society, the political involvement in foreign affairs such as the Spanish-American war, and

Read More
717 Words | 3 Pages

Aylmer’s obsession with removing the birthmark cost him more than he cared to imagine, the loss of his wife’s life. His fascination of perfection had killed their marriage before her soul departed from her body, not realizing that his lack of wisdom would cost him

Read More

More about Women Exposed In The Birth-Mark By Nathaniel Hawthorne

Related Topics

Open Document