Nelson Glendinning

English 130

11 February 2014

Blog #1

            For class we recently read the short story “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The story seems to portray a scientist’s (Aylmer) pursuit of perfection. Through all of his science experiments and tests he is in a constant struggle to find perfection. This seems to be another theme of the story, that science has many pit falls as Aylmer is met with failure in almost all of his experiments.

            Early on in the story Aylmer meets his soul mate and “persuaded a beautiful woman to become his wife.” (pg84). The particular use of language in this statement poses a very big question, which is, Does/did Aylmer really love his wife? Or did he just see something worth investing in? The questions seem to heighten the situation when you get deeper into the story. In particularly when he notices this birthmark that she has on her cheek. He begins to obsess about this mark and completely forgets about the beautiful woman behind it. He even goes as far as to suggest removing the mark through scientific experiment. So here Aylmer is attempting to correct this imperfection that he sees. Perhaps this is rooted in his brain due to his amazing obsession with perfection and trying to achieve it.

            The setting also seems to suggest that Aylmer might just see his wife as a lab experiment and not his actual soul mate. The story takes place two places, his lab where only he and his assistant Aminadab can go, and his wife’s boudoir, a converted piece of his lab dressed up to suit his wife’s taste. So the entire scenery is under Aylmer’s complete control. One could almost go as far as to say that Georgiana is quarantined within her boudoir. When put into those terms it is almost evident that she is his science experiment on his pursuit to perfection.

Here Aylmer talks about the mark as a terrible flaw put on by nature, “It was the fatal flaw of humanity which nature, in one shape or another, stamps ineffaceably on all her productions, either to imply that they are temporary and finite, or that their perfection must be wrought by toil and pain.”(pg. 86). He Aylmer even goes as far as to call the mark fatal. Which could be foreshadowing for her imamate death down the road. However, it also seems to express his struggle with nature and how it is hindering his “Wife” from perfection. So in the end is she really the one he loves or does she represent his love and pursuit of perfection through the desperate act to fix this fatal mark on perfection.

Another interesting question that could be asked is; why would Georgiana consent to go along with his experiment? At one point in the story she read Aylmer’s journal, which contains all of his scientific experiments and notes. Then Georgiana becomes aware that, “Much as he had accomplished, she could not but observe that his most splendid successes were almost invariably failures” (pg. 94). So after reading about all of his countless failures she still concedes with the experiment to rid her of her mark. Is this a sign of trust or a sign of insurmountable love for Aylmer? Or has she been brainwashed into believing that she cannot live without ridding herself of this fatal hand. Georgiana goes, as far as to say, “life is a burden which I would fling down with joy. Either remove this dreadful hand, or take my wretched life.” (pg.88). Here she makes it clear that Aylmer has convinced her that her life is worth nothing unless this fatal crimson hand is removed.