The Birth-Mark

Katelyn Hayes

Paper #3 Midterm

            “One day, very soon after their marriage, Aylmer sat gazing at his wife with a trouble in countenance that grew stronger until he spoke.” Throughout the short story The Birth-Mark author Nathaniel Hawthorne creates the main characters, Aylmer and Georgiana to represent two completely different ideas. With the use of symbolism, Hawthorne is able to create Georgiana’s birthmark to express deeper and profound ideas.

            Throughout the short story The Birth-Mark Hawthorne uses the literary element being that of symbolism, to portray the idea of Georgiana’s purity and imperfection. “No, dearest Georgiana, you came so nearly perfect from the had of nature, that this slightest possible defect, which we hesitate to term a defect or a beauty, shocks me, as being the visible mark of earthly imperfection” (219). Being that of God’s creation, we as a society are made different, we speak, look, and act differently. Yet one’s differences sets one apart from others, creating no two men to be the same. As Aylmer previously expresses Georgiana’s “visible mark of earthly imperfection,” ultimately represents the idealistic thought of perfection and how even the epitimy of the idea of perfection has underlying flaws and imperfections. As shown throughout the short story The Birth-Mark, author Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the literary device symbolism to represent Georgiana’s tiny imperfections as imperfection for all people.

            As seen throughout the short story The Birth-Mark, Hawthorne uses the literary device symbolism to exemplify the birth-mark being of Aylmer’s obsession with an insiginificant flaw. “At all the seasons which should have been their happiest he invariably, and without intending it, nay, in spite of a purpose to the contrary, reverted to this one disastrous topic...amid which the crimson hand was brought strongly out, like a bas relief of ruby on the whitest marble”(pg 220). This quote indicates Aylmer’s unnecessary obsession with Georgiana’s one flaw. Aylmer’s clear and upfront obsession with Georgiana’s birth-mark clearly expresses Aylmer’s character, being that of rude, obsessive, and shallow.

            Portrayed throughout the short story The Birth-Mark, written by Nathaniel Hawthorn, creates the idea of immortality. For insance Georgiana states “I might wish to put off this birth-mark of mortality by relinquishing mortality itself in preference to any other mode... But, being what I find myself, me thinks I am of all mortals the most fit to die” (pg 229). This quote symbolizes the idea that if Aylmer were to fix Georgiana’s birth-mark that he could as a result fight mortality. Georgiana’s simple blemish declares her as a mortal due to the idea that Georgiana like all humans are imperfect. As one can see throughout the short story, Hemingway portrays the ideas being that of mortality, purity, imperfection, as well as pety obsession through the use of  the literary device of symbolism.

            As portrayed throughout the short story The Birth-Mark, author Nathaniel Hemingway uses the literary device of symbolism to portray various ideas relating to Georgiana’s birth-mark. As one can see throughout The Birth-Mark, author Nathaniel Hemingway clearly indicates the significance of Georgiana’s birth-mark and the importance of nature versus science.