A major theme in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Rappaccini’s Daughter is pride. There is a lack of parental morality in this piece of work, and a sense of good is distorted by Dr. Rappaccini‘s pride. He thinks he is helping his daughter by bringing her a mate infected with her poison, but really he is taking on the role of God. His values are very low, and he has no right to interfere with his daughter’s life and happiness. He ends up indirectly killing his own daughter, and leaving her loved one in mourning.
Dr. Rappaccini knows his pride because he, himself, claims that he has created “The Garden of Eden” for his daughter and her
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