Romanticism and the Ideal
“The Birthmark” argues that the artistry of nature, even when imperfect, surpasses any art created by humankind. As a result, idealistic endeavors that aspire to an art more beautiful than what nature offers are morally flawed. Because Georgiana “comes so nearly perfect from the hand of nature,” Aylmer’s idealism as well as his arrogant confidence in his skills motivates his desire to remove the mark “so that the world might possess one specimen of ideal loveliness without the semblance of a flaw.” At moments, the narrator as well as Georgiana admires this pursuit of perfect beauty, yet Aylmer’s final failure communicates to the danger of this position. To worship with humility divine beauty is one thing, but to believe one can create pure beauty is another. In this way, Hawthorne questions whether the major inspiration for creativity is pure vision or whether artistic creativity in pursuit of the ideal is unavoidably lessened by selfish, proud motives.
Science Versus Nature
In the nineteenth century, many understood science as the ultimate cure for the problems of the world. The positivism of the day suggested that science offered the cure to the difficulties of nature, including sickness and death. In this way, science offered the possibility of dominating nature and, for this reason, was associated with masculine thought. Nature, on the other hand, has historically been associated with the feminine, as something beautiful but also something that could be “penetrated” and ultimately dominated—understood—by means of scientific experiments and knowledge. “The Birthmark” embodies this dichotomy between science and nature, masculinity and femininity. Aylmer, representing science, seeks to perfect nature, represented by Georgiana. His dream of cutting into her birthmark, which connects to her heart, provides a metaphor of science penetrating nature to seek and ultimately control its mysteries. That Georgiana dies at the end of the story, her soul flying to heaven, indicates the danger and failure of science, while it also allows its success, in that the woman indeed is dominated and penetrated even though destroyed in the process.
Gender and Sexuality
The theme of gender presents itself not only by way of the conflict between science and nature but also through the symbolism of the birthmark. Before she married, Georgiana considered it a “charm,” connoting something both magical and fortunate, and former suitors thought “some fairy” placed it there, giving Georgiana “sway over all hearts,” indicating its sexual power. Significantly, Aylmer does not notice the birthmark until after he marries Georgiana, when, we infer, they have shared sexual intimacy. Then he suddenly finds it a “mark of earthly imperfection.” In other words, it reminds him that she has a body and is not the “pure spirit” of beauty he would prefer. From Leviticus until at least the twentieth century, myths about women’s menstruation have carried suggestions of uncleanliness and poison to which Hawthorne implicitly alludes through Aylmer’s abhorrence of the birthmark and his means of protecting himself from it. For example, when Georgiana touches the magical flower it dies, and when Aylmer prepares her for his experiment he isolates her in a “magical circle” cut off by curtains until he cures the “imperfection.” Some critics interpret the tiny hand on Georgiana’s check as a mark of God, while others understand it as a mark of the devil. Such ambiguity further indicates the ambivalent attitude toward female sexuality that the birthmark embodies.
Allegory and Characterization
Allegories often serve a primarily philosophical and didactic purpose, which can result in characters that lack depth or complexity. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark” exemplifies this through the character of Aylmer, who embodies the archetype of the Faustian man. Much like...
(This entire section contains 223 words.)
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Faust in the works of Christopher Marlowe and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Aylmer is driven by an insatiable desire to transcend human limitations. The natural world, with all its imperfections, fails to satisfy his lofty ideals, particularly his obsession with perfect beauty inspired by classical Greek standards.
Georgiana, Aylmer’s wife, stands in stark contrast. She cannot rival the legendary beauty of Helen of Troy, the mythical figure conjured by Mephistopheles for Faust. However, Georgiana possesses a spiritual allure that captivates Aylmer, offering him a potential path to redemption. This dynamic echoes Marlowe’s play, where the character of Gertrude represents salvation, unlike the deceitful Helen, who ensures Faust’s damnation.
The story leaves Aylmer’s fate unresolved, inviting parallels with Hawthorne's other creation, Ethan Brand. Like Brand, Aylmer grapples with the realization of committing the ultimate sin: intellectual pride. His relentless pursuit of perfection reveals a deep-seated flaw, highlighting the dangers of valuing ideals over human nature’s inherent imperfections. In doing so, Hawthorne uses allegory not just to explore human frailties but also to question the very pursuit of perfection.
Idealism and Discontent
Aylmer is a character whose relentless pursuit of perfection sets him apart from more grounded figures like the Renaissance Faustus. Unlike Faustus, known for his cravings for both sensual experiences and intellectual dominance, Aylmer is driven by a singular devotion to the ideal. This dedication, however, reveals a vulnerability to the pitfalls of abstraction and a persistent discontent with the imperfections of reality. While Aylmer's aspirations are noble, they detach him from the practicalities of life, suggesting a disconnect from the empirical rigor typically associated with scientific endeavor. Yet, his work is infused with a spiritual dimension that redeems his detachment from materialism.
As the narrative unfolds, the reader is invited to see Aylmer not merely as a scientist but as an alchemist, someone who blurs the lines between the physical and the metaphysical. Despite his scientific pursuits, which involve handling physical details with precision, Aylmer's aspirations seem to transcend the boundaries of conventional science. His endeavors echo the spiritual undertones of alchemy, a field historically rooted in the quest for enlightenment and transformation beyond mere earthly elements.
In this exploration of Aylmer's character, the story suggests that the pursuit of the ideal, while admirable in its intent, can lead to a dangerous estrangement from the tangible world. Aylmer's story is a cautionary tale of the risks inherent in prioritizing the abstract over the empirical, and it reflects the broader tension between idealism and the complexities of human experience.
Platonic Beauty and Female Virtue
Within the narrative of "The Birthmark," Georgiana emerges as a striking portrayal of a heroine whose beauty mirrors her virtuous nature. This alignment of physical allure with moral purity echoes the Platonic ideal that links aesthetic perfection with goodness. As the story unfolds, Georgiana undergoes a subtle transformation, gaining a deeper intellectual insight through her experiences. Her love for her husband intensifies, yet she begins to question the infallibility of his judgment. Despite this growing awareness, she remains steadfast in her devotion—an embodiment of conventional feminine ideals of wisdom intertwined with unwavering sacrifice.
Modern readers might find Georgiana's virtue reminiscent of an exaggerated stereotype, emblematic of the period's expectations of women. Her character embodies absolute self-sacrifice and a profound submission to her husband's desires. This portrayal invites criticism of the era's gender norms, where female worth was often measured by obedience and self-effacement.
Hawthorne, however, directs the narrative’s tragedy towards the husband, whose relentless pursuit of perfection exemplifies a discontent with nature's inherent blessings. His inability to appreciate Georgiana’s natural beauty and virtues leads to the inevitable downfall, underscoring the peril in striving for flawlessness at the expense of cherishing what is authentically human. Through Georgiana's story, Hawthorne critiques the misguided ideals that compel individuals to forsake contentment for impossible ideals.
Conflict Between Physical and Spiritual
The struggle within Aylmer’s world is not a clear-cut battle between good and evil. Instead, it reflects a deeper, more nuanced discord between the tangible and the ethereal elements of humanity. Georgiana, in her perceptive understanding, discerns this tension in Aylmer’s notebook, which reveals the "sad confession and continual exemplification of the shortcomings of the composite man." This journal becomes a testament to the spirit weighed down by its physical form, grappling to navigate and manipulate the material world. It highlights the profound despair that arises when the higher, more spiritual aspects of one's nature confront the frustrating limitations imposed by their earthly existence. This portrayal captures the essence of the human condition: a duality marked by the spirit's unending struggle against the confines of its corporeal host.
