A case of tragic results from a scientist participating in his own experiment is the story of “Rappiccinni’s Daughter”, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In this story the scientist, Rappiccinni, is both an observer and a participant. He observes his flowers in his garden, but he also tends to them and experiments with them. In this participation nature is being controlled, when nature is controlled, you cannot have transcendence. He also went as far as to subject his daughter to his experiments: “He would sacrifice human life, his own among the rest, or whatever else i

“Why did you hesitate to tell me this?” asked she. “Because, Georgiana,” said

This quote is not speaking of the snake, but other animals in nature. Here we see when the narrator encounters nature’s people, other animals but pays them courtesy by leaving them alone. Dickinson is trying to tell us to leave nature undisturbed.

Both Emily Dickinson and Nathaniel Hawthorne are trying to make us realize that we can better appreciate nature but just observing it, rather than trying to change it or disturb it. In both of the stories by Hawthorne the scientist tried to change something that nature had made. As a result both storied ended tragically. Giovanni, Rappiccini, and Baglioni are Beatice’s, and Aylmer is responsible for Georgiana’s death. Hawthorne shows that had the scientists not intervened on nature neither would have happened. Dickinson’s examples were a little different, but she was still trying to relay the same message. In Dickinson’s poems, she wants us to avoid disturbing nature. In the poem 328, Dickinson describes watching the bird and she is able to enjoy observing the bird. Here she shows us that by just observing the bird, nature is not changed. In poem 986, she shows the need to respect nature, and show it cordiality. Hawthorne urges us not to try to change nature, whereas Dickinson urges us not to disrupt nature. In both cases the authors have a romantic view about nature, transcendence through the wild and untamed, and science are better observed than changed or participated in.

Some topics in this essay:
Nathaniel Hawthorne, Rappiccinni Aylmer, Beatice’s Aylmer, Emily Dickinson, Georgiana” Aylmer, Noon Leap, Daughter” Aylmer, Nature’s People, , Beatrice Hawthorne, change nature, observer participant, emily dickinson, observing bird, nathaniel hawthorne, remove birthmark, “rappiccinni’s daughter”, try change nature, story “rappiccinni’s, tried change, tragic results, story “rappiccinni’s daughter”, husband remove birthmark,