The Birth-Mark
Encyclopedia
"The Birth-Mark" is a romantic short story
written by Nathaniel Hawthorne
that examines obsession with human perfection. It was first published in the March, 1843 edition of The Pioneer. It later appeared in Mosses from an Old Manse
, a collection of short stories by Hawthorne published in 1846.
As the tale progresses, Aylmer becomes more and more obsessed with the birthmark which begins to rub off on Georgiana when she sees just how much her husband dislikes it. For Aylmer, the mark represents the natural imperfections of mankind and of the material world and because of this, found the mark to be completely intolerable.
Georgiana questions Aylmer of a dream he had the previous night in which he spoke in his sleep about having to remove her heart. Aylmer remembers the dream well. He remembers removing the birthmark with a knife and cutting so deep that he reached Georgiana’s 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 either herself or Aylmer.
Georgiana moves to the apartment at Aylmer’s laboratory where he begins his research on creation anew. Georgiana enters the laboratory and Aylmer, seeing her birthmark, shudders at her sight and Georgiana faints. Aylmer’s assistant, Aminadab, vocalizes his opinion that, should Georgiana have been his wife, the birthmark would have remained.
Georgiana wakens and Aylmer shows off some of his experiments which include a beautiful flower that dies as Georgiana touches it and a creation that makes a portrait of her which Aylmer destroys instantly because the likeness of her face is blurry except for the hand print upon her cheek. Aylmer then begins to show her some of his alchemical experiments which includes a lotion that can be used to remove freckles. As Georgiana questions whether this will be what he uses to remove her birthmark, Aylmer responds that it will take something that can reach deeper than just the surface.
Aylmer questions Georgiana about how she feels which includes how the temperature and being confined to her room are agreeing with her. These interrogations begin to make Georgiana wonder whether or not Aylmer has been drugging her either by the air she breathes or by way of food. As she explores the laboratory, Georgiana finds a book written by Aylmer that defines all of his past experiments. The book contains the original desire for each experiment as well as the result of the experiment which, unnervingly enough for her, is rarely the same. Aylmer walks in and finds his wife crying over his book. He calmly suggests that is it never a good idea to read books such as those and asks that she sing a song for him and she agrees.
Aylmer begins working and finds Georgiana watching him. This aggravates him and he accuses her of prying and of having no faith in him. Georgiana retorts saying that it is he that has no faith in her. She demands that he tell her what is to happen suggesting that he has more at stake than she does. Aylmer admits that he had been trying various cures on her without her knowledge but none had worked thus far. He tells her that he has one more option which is dangerous. Georgiana replies that the only danger lies in the failure which leaves the birthmark upon her cheek that will drive them both mad. Aylmer, agreeing with her, sends her to her room and returns to his work.
Aylmer brings her a solution to drink which she does quite hastily. As Georgiana sleeps, Aylmer keeps a vigilant watch over her and notices that the birthmark is slowly fading into nothing. As Georgiana’s birthmark fades into non-existence, she too dies telling Aylmer to never feel bad about rejecting “the best the Earth could offer”.
Georgiana is the wife of Aylmer and, as Sarah Bird Wright puts it, “doomed heroine” of the story. Georgiana agrees to allow Aylmer perform experiments on her to attempt to remove her birthmark which turns out to be a fatal decision. Wright quotes Millicent Bell’s thoughts on Georgiana’s final words by saying they are “indicative of Hawthorne’s struggle with romanticism….he yearns to depict life as found”.
Aminadab is Aylmer’s laboratory assistant who is described as being short, bulky and a shaggy appearance. Wright refers to Nancy Bunge’s observation that “because Aminadab possesses vast physical strength and 'earthiness' he undertakes to perform unpleasant tasks in order to free Aylmer to 'cultivate delusions of transcendence'". Judith Fetterley Suggests that “Aminadab symbolizes the earthly, physical, erotic self that has been split apart from Aylmer”
, "The Birth-Mark" discusses the psychological impact in sexual relations. The birthmark does not become an issue to Aylmer until after the marriage, which he suddenly sees as sexual: "now vaguely portrayed, now lost, now stealing forth again, and glimmering to-and-fro with every pulse of emotion". Written shortly after Hawthorne married Sophia Peabody, the story emphasizes the husband's sexual guilt disguised as superficial cosmetology. Some critics contend that the theme of the story is that human perfection can only be achieved in death and therefore not reachable at all, in that the trademark foreshadowing occurred during Aylmer's dream of cutting out the mark, in which he discovers the birthmark is connected to Georgiana's heart (which he elects to cut out as well in his attempt to remove the birthmark). Other critics, like Stephen Youra suggest that, to Aylmer, the birthmark represents the flaws within the human race which includes "original sin" which "woman has cast men into" and because of this, elects it as the symbol of his wife's "liability to sin, sorrow, decay, and death". While others suggest we view the story "as a story of failure rather than as the success story it really is - the demonstration of how to murder your wife and get away with it.
Hawthorne may have been criticizing the epoch of reform in which he was living and specifically calling attempts at reform ineffective and the reformers as dangerous. Other critics read the story as a critique of 19th century positivist science
(positivism
) situating the woman as nature
and representing science as attempting to penetrate her/its secrets while ultimately destroying the object of its research. Still others see it as a defense of vitalism
as against materialism
that one cannot find the essence
or soul
in mute bodily matter.
The story is often compared to Edgar Allan Poe
's "The Oval Portrait
".
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
written by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer.Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in the city of Salem, Massachusetts to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, a judge during the Salem Witch Trials...
that examines obsession with human perfection. It was first published in the March, 1843 edition of The Pioneer. It later appeared in Mosses from an Old Manse
Mosses from an Old Manse
Mosses from an Old Manse was a short story collection by Nathaniel Hawthorne, first published in 1846.-Background and publication history:...
, a collection of short stories by Hawthorne published in 1846.
Plot summary
The narrator begins the tale by introducing Aylmer as a highly intelligent scientist that has chosen to put his scientific experiments on hold to take Georgiana, who is described as a nearly perfect example of beauty except for a small hand shaped birthmark upon her cheek, as his wife. Aylmer raises the question to Georgiana of whether or not she had ever considered removing the birthmark. Georgiana replies that she had not considered it because people had called it a charm enough to make her think that it may be just that. Aylmer suggests that, upon any other, less perfect face, the mark may be considered a charm, but implies that on hers, it is nothing more than a mark of imperfection. Georgiana, at first becomes angry which soon turns to sorrow as she asks Aylmer how he could love something that shocks him.As the tale progresses, Aylmer becomes more and more obsessed with the birthmark which begins to rub off on Georgiana when she sees just how much her husband dislikes it. For Aylmer, the mark represents the natural imperfections of mankind and of the material world and because of this, found the mark to be completely intolerable.
Georgiana questions Aylmer of a dream he had the previous night in which he spoke in his sleep about having to remove her heart. Aylmer remembers the dream well. He remembers removing the birthmark with a knife and cutting so deep that he reached Georgiana’s 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 either herself or Aylmer.
Georgiana moves to the apartment at Aylmer’s laboratory where he begins his research on creation anew. Georgiana enters the laboratory and Aylmer, seeing her birthmark, shudders at her sight and Georgiana faints. Aylmer’s assistant, Aminadab, vocalizes his opinion that, should Georgiana have been his wife, the birthmark would have remained.
Georgiana wakens and Aylmer shows off some of his experiments which include a beautiful flower that dies as Georgiana touches it and a creation that makes a portrait of her which Aylmer destroys instantly because the likeness of her face is blurry except for the hand print upon her cheek. Aylmer then begins to show her some of his alchemical experiments which includes a lotion that can be used to remove freckles. As Georgiana questions whether this will be what he uses to remove her birthmark, Aylmer responds that it will take something that can reach deeper than just the surface.
Aylmer questions Georgiana about how she feels which includes how the temperature and being confined to her room are agreeing with her. These interrogations begin to make Georgiana wonder whether or not Aylmer has been drugging her either by the air she breathes or by way of food. As she explores the laboratory, Georgiana finds a book written by Aylmer that defines all of his past experiments. The book contains the original desire for each experiment as well as the result of the experiment which, unnervingly enough for her, is rarely the same. Aylmer walks in and finds his wife crying over his book. He calmly suggests that is it never a good idea to read books such as those and asks that she sing a song for him and she agrees.
Aylmer begins working and finds Georgiana watching him. This aggravates him and he accuses her of prying and of having no faith in him. Georgiana retorts saying that it is he that has no faith in her. She demands that he tell her what is to happen suggesting that he has more at stake than she does. Aylmer admits that he had been trying various cures on her without her knowledge but none had worked thus far. He tells her that he has one more option which is dangerous. Georgiana replies that the only danger lies in the failure which leaves the birthmark upon her cheek that will drive them both mad. Aylmer, agreeing with her, sends her to her room and returns to his work.
Aylmer brings her a solution to drink which she does quite hastily. As Georgiana sleeps, Aylmer keeps a vigilant watch over her and notices that the birthmark is slowly fading into nothing. As Georgiana’s birthmark fades into non-existence, she too dies telling Aylmer to never feel bad about rejecting “the best the Earth could offer”.
Character Analysis
Aylmer is a scientist and husband to Georgiana. Robert B. Heilman suggests that Aylmer has taken science as his religion and that Aylmer’s views on "the best that the Earth could offer" (Hawthorne, 130) is "inadequate". Heilman goes on to suggest that “the mistake Aylmer makes” is the “critical problem” with the story in that he has “apotheosized science”Georgiana is the wife of Aylmer and, as Sarah Bird Wright puts it, “doomed heroine” of the story. Georgiana agrees to allow Aylmer perform experiments on her to attempt to remove her birthmark which turns out to be a fatal decision. Wright quotes Millicent Bell’s thoughts on Georgiana’s final words by saying they are “indicative of Hawthorne’s struggle with romanticism….he yearns to depict life as found”.
Aminadab is Aylmer’s laboratory assistant who is described as being short, bulky and a shaggy appearance. Wright refers to Nancy Bunge’s observation that “because Aminadab possesses vast physical strength and 'earthiness' he undertakes to perform unpleasant tasks in order to free Aylmer to 'cultivate delusions of transcendence'". Judith Fetterley Suggests that “Aminadab symbolizes the earthly, physical, erotic self that has been split apart from Aylmer”
Analysis
Like many of the tales Hawthorne wrote during his time living in The Old ManseThe Old Manse
The Old Manse is an historic manse famous for its American literary associations. It is now owned and operated as a nonprofit museum by the Trustees of Reservations...
, "The Birth-Mark" discusses the psychological impact in sexual relations. The birthmark does not become an issue to Aylmer until after the marriage, which he suddenly sees as sexual: "now vaguely portrayed, now lost, now stealing forth again, and glimmering to-and-fro with every pulse of emotion". Written shortly after Hawthorne married Sophia Peabody, the story emphasizes the husband's sexual guilt disguised as superficial cosmetology. Some critics contend that the theme of the story is that human perfection can only be achieved in death and therefore not reachable at all, in that the trademark foreshadowing occurred during Aylmer's dream of cutting out the mark, in which he discovers the birthmark is connected to Georgiana's heart (which he elects to cut out as well in his attempt to remove the birthmark). Other critics, like Stephen Youra suggest that, to Aylmer, the birthmark represents the flaws within the human race which includes "original sin" which "woman has cast men into" and because of this, elects it as the symbol of his wife's "liability to sin, sorrow, decay, and death". While others suggest we view the story "as a story of failure rather than as the success story it really is - the demonstration of how to murder your wife and get away with it.
Hawthorne may have been criticizing the epoch of reform in which he was living and specifically calling attempts at reform ineffective and the reformers as dangerous. Other critics read the story as a critique of 19th century positivist science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
(positivism
Positivism
Positivism is a a view of scientific methods and a philosophical approach, theory, or system based on the view that, in the social as well as natural sciences, sensory experiences and their logical and mathematical treatment are together the exclusive source of all worthwhile information....
) situating the woman as nature
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
and representing science as attempting to penetrate her/its secrets while ultimately destroying the object of its research. Still others see it as a defense of vitalism
Vitalism
Vitalism, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is#a doctrine that the functions of a living organism are due to a vital principle distinct from biochemical reactions...
as against materialism
Materialism
In philosophy, the theory of materialism holds that the only thing that exists is matter; that all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions. In other words, matter is the only substance...
that one cannot find the essence
Essence
In philosophy, essence is the attribute or set of attributes that make an object or substance what it fundamentally is, and which it has by necessity, and without which it loses its identity. Essence is contrasted with accident: a property that the object or substance has contingently, without...
or soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
in mute bodily matter.
The story is often compared to Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
's "The Oval Portrait
The Oval Portrait
"The Oval Portrait" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe involving the disturbing circumstances surrounding a portrait in a chateau. It is one of his shortest stories, filling only two pages in its initial publication in 1842.-Plot summary:...
".
External links
- The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne
- The Birthmark study guide, themes, quotes, character analyses, teaching guide