Literary Analysis Essay on Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Introduction

The birthmark, one of the best stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne, is the chronology of an obsession. Aylmer, a brilliant scientist, and philosopher abandons his career to marry Georgiana, a beautiful, perfect woman, except for a small brand of birth on one of her cheeks. The funny thing is that the protagonist had never noticed this small mark, which finally will end up being the focus of his most grotesque obsessions. The central theme of the story is the obsession with perfection, which, from the distorted perspective of the protagonist, can only be achieved through death.

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Aylmer is a man of science who devoted himself to scientific studies, made use of alchemy, and possessed proficiency in all branches of natural philosophy. Amid the recent discovery of electricity, Aylmer decides to leave his laboratory in the care of an assistant to marry the beautiful and beloved Georgiana. The relationship between Aylmer and Georgia evolves as the story progresses. Initially, they get married after knowing each other for a short period of time. Georgiana is the perfect woman except for a small red birthmark which is present on her cheek. The birthmark is shaped like a small hand and most men see this failure as an attractive brand.

The sign had the shape of a tiny human hand. Georgiana's old partners used to say that the magic hand of a fairy had touched her face when she was born. Many would have risked their lives to have the honor of kissing that mysterious hand (Hawthorne 1).

Soon after the wedding, Aylmer begins to see the birthmark in the shape of a tiny hand on his wife's face as an imperfection. During the period that should have been the happiest for them, Aylmer did not think of anything else other than the unfortunate mark. In the morning light, he turned his eyes and upon seeing the face of her wife, he only saw the birthmark as a trace of imperfection. At night, when they sat together and enjoyed the warmth of the fire, he could see the mark too. Georgiana quickly began to fear his gaze. Her husband's expression made her face pale. The birthmark stood out like a red gem on the surface of a white stone.

Aylmer believes that it spoils the beauty of his wife and it should not be there. He considers the mark equivalent to "the vision of imperfection," and becomes obsessed with completely removing it. He becomes increasingly uncomfortable with it. This malaise (which turns into hate) begins to be shared by Georgiana and the couple agrees to subject the woman to a scientific experience that removes the mark. Thus, believing that science is a competent means to solve such an affliction, Aylmer proposes the removal of the mark of Georgiana. He explains to the wife the real risks that scientific experience could result, among them, the risk of death (Lawson & Shakinovsky, 27). While aware that it might cost her life, the character authorizes experimental intervention on her birthmark. This is because Georgina's aversion to her brand would not allow her to live with such imperfection for the rest of her life.

During the experiment, after drinking the elixir, Georgiana falls asleep while Aylmer accompanies in ecstasy the slow disappearance of the birthmark on her face. When she wakes up and looks in the mirror, Georgiana expresses her contentment with a slight smile when she sees that the mark on her face seems almost imperceptible. However, when the mark finally seems to disappear completely from her face, Georgiana's life also fades.

The "Birthmark" symbolize human frailty and mortality. It depicts human folly to perfect nature's way by his wisdom and effort. Georgina's "Birthmark" on her cheek that has a shape of a hand is most disliked by her husband Aylmer. Georgina is a beautiful lady both physically and inwardly, but her husband is blind to her beauty, and he wants her to be perfect in physical beauty, hence, wants to get rid of that birthmark on her cheek.

Aylmer is a scientist who believes in his ability. Georgina submits herself to the will of her husband, though she has knowledge of her husband's failures in his experiments. Aylmer is successful in removing the birthmark but he pays the prize with the life of his wife. Thus, this story depicts man's futile attempts to overpower nature, his rebel to accept others as they are and the mortality that arises from trying to oppose nature (Tritt & Tritt, 1). Aylmer's perception of the imperfect destroyed the self-confidence of her wife and she began thinking that she was unattractive. She soon became anxious and just wanted to get rid of the mark so that she would please her husband. She was convinced that Aylmer would never see her as a beautiful woman unless the mark was removed and she, therefore, asked Aylmer to use his scientific knowledge to get rid of that brand, even at great risk.

The story reflects the values of modernity that value scientific progress and the autonomy of citizens: this is why the scientist and the wife decide to act using positive methods to remove the mark that is, after all, the connection between the body and the soul. The mark, however, contains the connection between Georgiana's body and soul, and at the moment after the removal of the mark, Georgiana dies. Aylmer's ecstasy lasts no more than an instant. The small hand on his face was his connection to life (Lawson & Shakinovsky, 33). As the last trace of color faded from her cheeks, she gave her last sigh. Blinded by insignificant imperfection and a goal impossible to attain, Aylmer had killed his wife, just as he had ended his chances of being happy. In trying to hone Georgian, he had failed to realize that she had always been perfect.

The Birth-Mark also presents the relation between the masculine creator and the work, or the feminine object. Traditionally, it is a male desire that determines action against an object of passive enjoyment, which accepts to be transformed. Aylmer became critical of the birthmark due to his obsession for perfection which affected Georgiana. Having never received such criticism in her lifetime, she sought to please her husband. Over time, this need for approval governed her thoughts and actions to the point where she was willing to do anything to get her husband's approval (Tritt & Tritt, 1). This led to her death in the end. Her life was the price Alymer had to pay for his obsession with perfection.

The story also emphasizes nature and the role played by nature is highly significant. Hawthorne shows that Aylmer was an intelligent man and understood the role of nature. However, he was still obsessed with removing the birthmark that was present in her wife's face. He was trying to change what nature had put in her wife's face. Aylmer's desire to ensure that his wife was flawless and had no marks made him take away what was making her truly human. The natural flaws and weaknesses in a person are what makes a person human and without them, people would not exist. In a bid to change the work of nature, Aylmer ended up killing his wife. Nature should be left as it is and science should not be used to change what makes a person human (weaknesses and flaws).

Works Cited

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "Nathaniel Hawthorne." The Birthmark, Sept. 2018, www.online-literature.com/hawthorne/125/.

Lawson, K., & Shakinovsky, L. "A Frightful Object:" Romance, Obsession, and Death in Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Birth-Mark.'" In: The Marked Body: Domestic Violence in Mid-Nineteenth Century Literature. Albany: The State University of New York Press, 2002, 23-39. (25, 31, 34)

Tritt, SM., & Tritt, M. "Chasing Perfection: Death Denial in Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Birthmark.'" PsyArt. (online journal): December 31, 2008. http://psyartjournal.com/article/show/m_tritt-chasing_perfection_death_denial_in_natha (retrieved 24/9/18)