The Birthmark
The Birthmark, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, we come to know is about scientist who sees nature not as beautiful, but as imperfect. Aylmer feels that it is in his power to correct what Nature left imperfect in her fairest work. His strive for perfection not only leads to the death of his beautiful wife, but the attempt to have control over nature. Alymers wife Georgiana has a small birthmark on her left cheek. A birthmark that at first didnt bother him but now disgusts him. Aylmer was a self-serving individual whose only goal is to make his wife perfect for his own sake or perhaps for science's sake.( Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1295421) He believes that in order for him to experience perfect love, he must have a perfect woman to love.
Failing to understand the true meaning of Georgiana, he desperately still wants it removed. With that, he asks her as she ever considers wanting it removed. She replys To tell you the truth its been so often called a charm that I was simple enough to imagine it might be so.(Hawthorn pg 230). He then asks her if he can remove it. Georgiana at first feels hurt by her husbands request then His obsession slowly but surely becomes her obsession to the point where she even tell her husband The attempt be made at whatever risk, danger is nothing to me; for life, while this hateful mark makes me the object of your horror and disgust, life is a burden which I would fling down with joy. Either remove this dreadful hand, or take my wretched life! (Hawthorne pg. 292). Without thinking about the consequences of the procedure, he is excited that he now has the permission to perform a scientific experiment. He said Georgiana, you led me deeper than ever into the heart of science.( Hawthorne pg. 292).
Georgiana Asks Aylmer he had on night in which he spoke in his sleep about having to remove her heart. Aylmer remembers the dream; he remembers removing the birthmark with a knife and cutting so deep that he reached Georgianas heart which he also decides to cut out. Georgiana agrees to allow Aylmer to remove her birthmark even though she does not know what the cost may be to herself or Aylmer. She says I know not of what may be the cost to both of us to rid me of this fatal birthmark. Perhaps its removal may cause cureless deformity; or it may be the stain goes as deep as life itself. (Hawthorne pg. 292) Georgiana moves to the apartment at Aylmers laboratory where he begins his research. Georgiana enters the laboratory and Aylmer, seeing her birthmark, get disgusted at her sight and Georgiana faints. Alymer assistant Aminadad felt that if Georgiana was his wife, the birthmark would have remained.
Georgiana finally awakes and Aylmer questions her about how she feels. These questions makes Georgiana wonder Aylmer has been drugging her either by the air she breathes or by food. When she explores the laboratory, Georgiana finds a book written by Aylmer that defines all of his past experiments. In the book is written what each past experiment can do, as well as the result of the experiment. Aylmer walks in and finds his wife crying over his book. He calmly tell her its never a good idea to read books such as those and asks that she sing a song for him and she agrees.
Aylmer gets back to work and finds Georgiana watching him. This aggravates him and he accuses her of having no faith in him. He says Why do you come hither? Have you no trust in your husband? (Hawthorne pg. 298) Georgiana retorts saying "it is not you that have a right to complain. You mistrust your wife; you have concealed the anxiety with which you watch the development of this experiment. Think not so unworthily of me, my husband. Tell me all the risk we run, and fear not that I shall shrink; for my share in it is far less than your own."(Hawthorne pg.298) Aylmer admits that he had been trying cures on her without her knowing but none of them have worked to far. He tells her that he has one more option which is dangerous. Georgiana replies "Danger? There is but one danger--that this horrible stigma shall be left upon my cheek!" cried Georgiana. "Remove it, remove it, whatever be the cost, or we shall both go mad!"(Hawthorne pg.298) Aylmer, agreeing with her, sends her to her room and returns to his work. When Aylmer finally brings her a solution to drink and Georgiana sleeps, Aylmer watches over her and notices that the birthmark is slowly fading into nothing. As Georgianas birthmark fades away she too dies telling her husband, "you have aimed loftily; you have done nobly. Do not repent that with so high and pure a feeling, you have rejected the best the earth could offer. Aylmer, dearest Aylmer, I am dying!"(Hawthorne pg. 301)
Hawthorne is saying that we should not try to change nature to make it perfect with science and technology especially for situations like his wife's ugly birthmark. Furthermore, the closer we get to perfection, the more obsessed we get with it, and the more we lose sight of the fact that birthmarks are just birthmarks. I don't think that Hawthorne had anything against science in general, judging by his descriptions of Aylmer's laboratory but he is giving us a warning or a reminder to not take things too far.
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