In Nathaniel Hawthorn's "The Birthmark," the main character Aylmer struggles for scientific perfection; he attempts to perfect that which nature rendered imperfect. When the quest for human achievement opposes divine design it has no chance of succeeding. This key element in Aylmer's twisted love leads to the downfall of what he seeks so desperately to perfect, his beautiful wife. Georgiana's "fatal flaw of humanity" (43); the birthmark, blocks her from perfection in his eyes, and thus blemishes Aylmer's prideful ideals. Her alleged inferiority to science leads to her death and Aylmer's complete failure as both a scientist and a spouse. .
From the very start of the story, Aylmer is described as a man with a certain degree of physical finery that alludes to perfection " cleared his fine countenance- (42). He is described as a man with a passionate interest for science; actually, he devotes almost his entire life to it. "He had devoted himself too unreservedly to scientific studies ever to be weaned from them- (42). this scientific setting shows that Aylmer's love for Georgiana as his "second passion" (42). Georgiana comes second in his pursuit of happiness, whereas science could be called his first love. He becomes obsessed with the idea of changing his beloved to suit his fancy.
Georgiana had a mark on her cheek, hardly a cause for concern to the average human. This mark was "deeply interwoven . with the texture and substance of her face" (42). The mark was almost the tint of crimson and bore the shape of a tiny hand; that changed with her moods. When she was rosy cheeked and happy, it simply grew faint and disappeared; yet with any sudden change in emotion, she was apt to turning pale and thus, the mark reappeared " . in what Aylmer deemed an almost fearful distinctness" (43). .
The fact that the birthmark changes with Georgiana's passing moods bothers Aylmer because with its " .glimmering to and fro with every emotion that throbbed within her heart" it is" .
Georgiana's birthmark was a part of her and she was accustomed to seeing it upon her cheek. ... For Aylmer, the birthmark was a flaw that grew more egregious with every passing day. ... Aylmer wanted to remove the birthmark; Georgiana would not refute him. The birthmark made Georgiana an abomination to her husband. ... Georgiana could not change her husband's attitude toward the birthmark. ...
All he sees is a birthmark "an unbearable flaw in his wife. ... Even she did not mind the presence of the birthmark; she had grown accustomed to it. ... But, Aylmer did not see the birthmark as being such. ... The birthmark faded away as did his wife, breath by breath. ... He could not live, even with just a small birthmark. ...
The Birthmark "The Birthmark" is a love story, concerned with the relation between men and women. ... Soon after marriage, Aylmer confesses Georgiana's birthmark is either a charm or defect. ... Usually Georgiana's birthmark is only slightly redder than her own rosy complexion, but upon being startled, she pales and the tiny mark is highlighted against her whitened cheek. ... In fact, Aylmer renders the birthmark as "a symbol of his wife's liability to sin, sorrow, decay, and death" (453). ... "The Birthmark" proposes that human nature is compound, a sacred mystery. ...
In "The Birthmark", Hawthorne described a young scientist who killed his own wife by pursuing a "perfect future" (1) while trying to remove a birthmark on his wife's face. ... The Birthmark on Georgiana face was not seen as ugly but merely as an imperfection to her overall beauty. ... Some believed that Georgiana's birthmark was actually the source of her life. ... In "The Birthmark", Hawthorne describes how "science affects priorities"(4) in life. ... In "The Birthmark" Alymer was a devoted scientist. ...
Individualism In the story "The Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne there is an underlying theme of individualism. ... The theme of individualism as is portrayed in "The Birthmark" is much different than today's. ... Because Aylmer's public life is to be seen by all, he is ashamed of the birthmark on his wife's face. By wanting to remove Georgina's birthmark he was attempting to redeem him self at any cost. ... In "The Birthmark" Aylmer and Georgiana pay the ultimate price, he by the loss of Georgiana and she with her life. ...
As a reader analyzes Aylmer's struggle to give a definition to the birthmark, his quest to rid Georgiana of her birthmark takes on new meaning. ... Georgiana's birthmark represents a signifier in Aylmer's search for unity. Aylmer sees the birthmark as "the symbol of his wife's liability to sin, sorrow, decay, and death"; nonetheless, some of Georgiana's former "lovers were wont to say (the birthmark gave) her such sway over all hearts," thus seeing the birthmark in a positive light (Hawthorne 170). ... Aylmer watches her until he notices that the b...
In The Birthmark, Georgiana and Aylmer stay together till the end. ... She is the only person in her town with a birthmark on her face. The birthmark itself is also unique for its shape of a hand. ... Georgiana wants to get rid of her unique birthmark. ... Hooper, because Georgiana just believes what Aylmer tells her about her birthmark. ...
Georgiana has a birthmark on left cheek in the shape of a hand. ... In this way, the birthmark seems to only enhance Georgiana's beauty instead of mar it. ... The birthmark, although not a problem before, begins to grow into a mockery in Aylmer's eyes. ... Aylmer spends many hours upon the task of ridding Georgiana of the birthmark. ... She falls into a deep sleep and soon the birthmark begins to fade. ...
Shortly after their marriage he asks her if she had ever thought of removing her birthmark. ... Georgiana first begins to detest the birthmark after hearing a dream of her husbands. ... The birthmark it self represents imperfection. ... (p119) However it was the birthmark that made her human. ... The Birthmark shows the reader that humans should not attempt to play God. ...
