The Birthmark Analysis

Words: 620
Pages: 3

“The Birthmark” by Nathanial Hawthorne is an ironic love story. This story explores the conflicts between the love of a woman and the love of science. Simply put the main character Aylmer seeks perfection to a deadly fault, and wants to remove the birthmark on his wife Georgiana’s face. He throws caution, logic, and likability to the wind in a dramatically drawn-out story where he predictably kills the woman he loves just to get rid of a silly birthmark on her cheek. Aylmer is not capable of true love. He lacks compassion for human beings because he only values perfection, science, and the potential to control Nature. Aylmer found a wife and upon discovering her imperfection, he determines that she will be his most profound experiment yet. Aylmer is excited at the chance to alter nature’s mistake into a perfection, and he believes only he could master this. No sooner than the honeymoons end does Aylmer point out—from his perfectionist point of view—that Georgiana’s face has a defect. As Hawthorne pointedly lets Aylmer remark to his wife, “Georgiana, has it ever occurred to you that the mark upon …show more content…
He knows that this birthmarks removal will occur in a practical and predictable scientific manner. Aylmer brainwashes himself into thinking that his watchfulness is enough to make this operation perfect. When telling his wife how he will remove the mark he even says, “Georgiana, you have led me deeper than ever into the heart of science.” She swiftly joins him on his path of hatred for her earthly imperfection. Aylmer knows the truth that Nature has secrets, but he ignores it when dealing with his wife. He even uses his knowledge of science to play with light and distract his wife with the beauty he creates before her eyes. The power he has in his mind, starts with his image of himself, and grows by making Georgiana see his bountiful knowledge of the scientific