The Birthmark Is More Than A Blemish - 1727 Words

The Birthmark is More Than a Blemish According to the Oxford Dictionaries, nature is â€Å"the phenomena of the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, the landscape, and other features and products of the earth, as opposed to humans or human creations† (â€Å"Nature†; emphasis added). The primary definition asserts that nature is a separate and opposing entity from mankind. In spite of this, humans have acted with a sense of ownership over nature for centuries, depleting, manipulating and polluting the natural world. This human interaction with nature is depicted in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, The Birth Mark†. Using allegory and symbolism, Hawthorne illustrates the stain that humanity places on nature’s purity. A relationship between a man and a woman serves as an allegory for the relationship between mankind and nature, a discrepancy in an otherwise beautiful woman represents the human impact, contrasting rooms symbolize the divinity of nature and the impurity o f humanity, and the death of a woman serves as a caution for what is to become of mankind’s actions. In â€Å"The Birth Mark† Aylmer and his wife Georgiana allegorize mankind and nature. In one aspect, the dichotomy of man and woman appropriately symbolizes the dichotomy of mankind and nature. In contemporary society, â€Å"the distinction between male and female and masculinity and femininity continues to polarize relations between the sexes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Knights 430). This is similar to the way in which the human raceShow MoreRelatedThe Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay1124 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story The Birthmark, the narrator introduces us to Aylmer, a brilliant scientist who spent his life studying nature extensively to the detriment of his own personal life. His wife, Georgiana, has been marked with a small, red birthmark on her cheek that most men found attractive all her life. Aylmer only sees this birthmark as a flaw and his desire for perfection can only result in death for Georgiana because becoming an idealRead More`` The Birthmark `` By Nathanial Hawthorne1159 Words   |  5 PagesNathanial Hawthorne writes a compelling story about a recently married scientist whose wife has a blemish on her cheek. â€Å"The Birthmark† written in 1843 is a critique of domesticity, feminine sexuality, and perfectionism. Cindy Weinstein takes the stance that â€Å"The Birthmark† is a critique of feminine sexuality. Weinstein suggests, â€Å"A key reason, then, that Aylmer wants to erase the birthmark is that it signifies a sexua lity with which he is deeply uncomfortable† (123). This argument is seen throughoutRead MoreAnalysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Salem Witch 1328 Words   |  6 Pagestheir lives together. As a member of the American transcendentalists, Hawthorne became close friends with authors such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Herman Melville. Although both Nathaniel and Sophia were labeled as transcendentalists, Hawthorne much more acknowledged and explored the dark side and evils in humanity through his writing. After his mother’s death, Hawthorne published The Scarlett Letter. This book turned out to be one of the first mass produced books in the United Sates upon its releaseRead MoreThe Birthmark By Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay1615 Words   |  7 PagesA birthmark as referred to in this short story is the â€Å"Differences of temperament†, the inborn traits someone can develop. In Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Birthmark there are many different themes such as, nature versus sci ence, and perfection. We see Aylmer struggle with his own temperament. For him the birthmark becomes the symbol of Georgiana’s flawed humanity, which he tries to alternate. Throughout the story, we come across several observances of otherness revolving around â€Å"The Birthmark†. AylmerRead MoreThe Birthmark By Connecting And Characterizing Man s Decisions1210 Words   |  5 PagesThe Birthmark symbolizes the standards of society that set the ways of the characters in the story by connecting and characterizing man s decisions to free society of blemish. Since the women is his adore he endeavors to join her with his affection for science to spare her from’ ‘drudge and pain . The structure picture of society makes the picture of man in the picture of a God that parades his picture descending towards lady furthermore, gives her no decision other than to surrenderRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne And Edgar Allen Poe1318 Words   |  6 PagesPuritan thought. Both Hawthorne and Poe apprehend the impact of transgression and evil on humanity. â€Å"The Birthmark† and †Ligeia† both recognize that a yearning for perfection can generate a dark obsession that directs the heart and will of man. â€Å"The Birthmark† is a tale of a youthful woman, Georgina, who has a hand-shaped mark upon her cheek and has been convinced by her husband to get the birthmark removed because in his eyes it limits her perfection. She feels the pressure from her husband to get itRead MoreNoble Love in The Birthmark Essay1710 Words   |  7 PagesNoble Love in  The Birthmark     Ã‚  Ã‚   Often billed as a story of an unsuccessful attempt to beat Nature at her own game, â€Å"The Birthmark† by Nathaniel Hawthorne certainly lends itself to a somewhat deeper interpretation.   Over the years many scholars have noted that the story of Aylmer and Georgiana is riddled with traditional Hawthorne themes such as the evils of selfishness and pride, coupled with an element of solitariness (Arvin xvi).   However, we are want to consider whether Aylmer’s motivesRead MoreAnalysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown 1474 Words   |  6 Pageshe preaches to avoid. In the final story, â€Å"The Birthmark,† Nathaniel Hawthorne writes a story about a scientist named Aylmer and his wife Georgiana. Aylmer loves Georgiana, but also loves his work of science. His love for both intertwine and he has to connect them both together. To him, she is perfect, except for one thing. Georgiana, his perfect wife, has a small birthmark of a crimson hand on her check that he starts to obsess with. The birthmark is so horrendous to Aylmer that when he kisses GeorgianaRead MoreThe Birthmark By Nathaniel Hawthorne923 Words   |  4 PagesIn Nathaniel Hawthorne s â€Å"The Birthmark†, we find the tragic story of a woman named Georgiana who sacrificed her life for the sake of appeasing her husband, Aylmer. What did Georgiana do that it was more favorable for her to die than to continuing to displease her husband? Georgiana, who was otherwise hailed as incomparably beautiful, had a birthmark on her face. Aylmer desired this to remove this birthmark, whi ch he considered the one thing keeping her from being â€Å"perfect†, from her face. In anRead MoreA Separate Peace, By Nathaniel Hawthorne996 Words   |  4 Pageswork that are both contemporary and difficult. Likely, the novel A Separate Peace by John Knowles highlights the two extremes of personalities and also the plan of war as a struggle between good and evil. In Hawthorn’s short stories like, â€Å"The Birthmark†, â€Å"Dr. Heidegger s Experiment†, and â€Å"Rappaccini s Daughter† all have combined underlying which means and demonstrate an identical relevant theme. He uses his stories to define his beliefs on the opposition between science, nature, and faith in