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Alyssa Burella Professor Jacobs ENC 1102 14 April 2014 Nature versus Science: Analyzed Through The Themes and Symbols of Feminism in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Birthmark Nathaniel Hawthornes The Birthmark is a compelling short story about a man named Aylmer who had a desire to perfect his wife named Georgiana, and in return led her to her death. Georgiana was a beautiful woman, but according to Aylmer, her only flaw was the hand-shaped birthmark that stained her left cheek. Aylmer, being an irrational scientist, failed to understand the beauty of nature, and he tried to remove Georgianas birthmark through science in hopes to make her perfect. Throughout the short story, Aylmer becomes obsessed with the removal of the birthmark, that he overlooks what is truly important. The Birthmark is demonstration of a powerful allegory, with many themes that contribute to the overall meaning itself. The symbols in The Birthmark, also embody a deeper meaning, which can be criticized in a feministic view. The main theme that contributes to the allegory within The Birthmark is the idea that the force of nature is stronger than science. Science can only do so much, until it is taken too far, and Aylmer did just that. For example, Aylmer tried to perfect Georgiana by using science to remove her tiny birthmark, but in the end pure nature couldnt survive in a perfect form. Aylmer failed to understand that the beauty of nature lies within its imperfection, and nature cannot exist when it is forced to be perfect. In The Birthmark, Aylmer used science to perfect the flawed birthmark upon Georgianas left cheek, and in return Georgiana does not survive. This contributed to the allegory of science and nature repelling each other. Aylmer, being a scientist

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was, motivated to conquer nature, [] and had a desire to create life (Eckstein 512). Eckstein pointed out Aylmers motives, which were due to his love for science, and he followed through with those characteristics when he used science to try and remove a natural imperfection on Georgianas face. Another theme within The Birthmark, is the lack of unity between Aylmer and Georgiana. According to Eckstein, It is clear that Aylmers obsession with his science makes him unfit for human companionship (512). This shows how Aylmer focused so much on science, and the removal of the birthmark that he failed to realize what truly was important. Aylmer brought separation between him and Georgiana because he made science and perfection his main goals, versus focusing on their relationship. For example Aylmer said, I might well dream of it; for, before I fell asleep, it had taken a pretty firm hold of my fancy (Hawthorne 292). Aylmer became infatuated with the imperfection on her cheek; that he started to dream about it with disgust. The birthmark was constantly on Aylmers conscious because he could not stand the fact that his wife Georgiana had an imperfection. This caused a vast distance between the couple because Aylmer could not get his mind off of the birthmark, and the birthmark was something Georgiana could not help. One of the main symbols in The Birthmark is Georgianas crimson birthmark. The birthmark is an embodiment of nature, and what it means to be a mortal. According to Napier, it is the birthmark that is the center of [Georgianas] reconciliatory nature (1). For example, Georgiana is existent as a human because of her imperfection, the birthmark resembles life. Georgianas birthmark is essential to the short story because it represent a bigger picture that Aylmer does not understand. The birthmark is placed on her cheek, to show that nature is not perfect, and it cannot exist in a perfect form. Hawthorne conveyed that, [t]he crimson hand

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expressed the ineludible gripe in which morality clutches the highest and purest of all earthly mould [] (292). This gave the allusion that Georgiana is the prime example of purity in the midst of imperfection. The birthmark is a mark of imperfection, and it resembles all human life. On the other hand, Aylmer believed that Georgiana would be perfect if he removed her birthmark, which made him a symbol of separation and removal. Aylmer, being a crazed scientist tried to mess with the birthmark, and failed to realize that he was actually messing with nature itself. The birthmark also is a contrast amid the lack of unity between Aylmer and Georgiana. Aylmers obsession over Georgianas birthmark caused the lack of unity between the couple, which furthers the idea that Aylmer is the prime example of separation. According to Jeffrey Howard, Georgianas birthmark is Aylmers object of attention, leading to unity between Aylmer and the birthmark, which eventually becomes central to his existence (133). Aylmer focused all his attention on the birthmark, that it escalated the separation between Georgiana and Aylmer. Aylmer was more connected to Georgianas birthmark, than he was with their relationship. Although the birthmark resembles life and mortality, it also is the cause of feminism within Georgians relationship with Aylmer. The feministic view of The Birthmark is represented throughout the entire short story because it is about a man wanting to make his wife into something she is not. The idea that a man is trying to perfect his wife, is a direct example of feminism. Georgiana feels bad about herself because of the way Aylmer feels about her birthmark. Fetterley points out that, The Birthmark, is a parable of womans relation to the cult of female beauty,[] to remind women that they are, in their natural state, unacceptable, imperfect, [and] monstrous (2). This is an example of how Aylmer believed Georgiana was intolerable because of her birthmark, and he thought less of her because of it. Georgianas

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birthmark [] has been so often called a charm [] (Hawthorne 291). However, Aylmer does not see Georgianas birthmark as attractive, it mostly shocks him, which is why he wanted to remove it. Another example of feminism throughout The Birthmark, is the idea that this story would only work when the man has power over the woman. According to Fetterley, One cannot imagine this story in reversethat is, a womans discovering an obsessive need to perfect her husband and deciding to perform experiments on him (1). This shows how the woman wouldnt try to fix her husband, and it is hard to see it this short story in reverse. However, Aylmer makes Georgiana his experiment, in hopes to make her perfect. This represents feminism because Aylmer has a strong power over Georgiana when he attempts to remove her birthmark. Aylmer can also be seen as jealous of Georgiana because she is the power of nature, and that is something that Aylmer cannot overcome. Throughout The Birthmark, Georgiana is viewed as hopeless, and overpowered because of the strong male domination of science over her natural imperfection. Georgiana is degraded by Aylmers disgust over her birthmark, and in return she ends up giving in to the removal of her feature because she believed she did not meet Aylmers standards. In the end, Georgiana is a victim of Aylmer because he failed to understand what it truly meant to be human. The birthmark was an essential aspect of Nathaniel Hawthornes short story because without the birthmark, the reader would not understand the struggle Aylmer had faced when trying to perfect what was imperfect. The fact that Aylmer obsessed over the removal of Georgianas birthmark, brought the feministic view into play, because he made Georgiana feel hopeless. Aylmer made a stronger unity with the birthmark, rather than with Georgiana. In the end, Aylmer rejected pure nature and what it had to offer, and in return led Georgiana to her

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death. Works Cited Eckstein, Barbara. Hawthornes The Birthmark: Science and Romance as Belief. Studies in Short Fiction 26.4 (Fall 1989): 511-519. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Rachelle Mucha and Thomas J. Schoenberg. Vol. 89. Detroit: Gale, 2006. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 1 Apr. 2014. Fetterley, Judith. Women beware science: The Birthmark.. Critical Essays on Hawthorness Short Stories. Ed. Albert J. von Frank. Boston, Mass.: G. K. Hall & Co., 1991. 164-172. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Rachelle Mucha and Thomas J. Schoenberg. Vol. 89. Detroit: Gale, 2006. Literature Resource Center. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Birthmark. The Norton Introduction to Literature. Ed. Kelly J. Mays. Las Vegas: University of Nevada. Print. Howard, Jeffrey. Hawthornes THE BIRTHMARK. Explicator 70.2 (2012): 133-136. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 1 Apr. 2010. Napier, Elizabeth. Aylmer as Scheidekunstler; The Pattern of Union and Separation in Hawthornes The Birthmark.,South Atalntic Buletin 41.4 (Nov. 1976): 32-35. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Rachelle Mucha and Thomas J. Schoenberg. Vol. 89. Detroit: Gale, 2006. Literature Resource Center. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.