An Introduction
Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birthmark" is a short story that was originally published in 1843. It is a story with a simple plot but intense thematic complexity. There are only three characters but each of them displays a certain psychological depth and symbolic importance.
Although "The Birthmark" was written relatively early in Hawthorne's career, in this story "he set out clearly enough the questions that were to haunt him all the rest of his life" (Rosenberg 150). Hawthorne's characteristic style, with his psychologically conflicted characters, "gloomy atmosphere," and exploration of deep moral questions is apparent throughout the story (Meyer 400). The most prominent themes explored in this story are those of mortality and human imperfection, and other themes include the divine and the earthly, science and nature, and marriage and love. Hawthorne makes use of a number of literary devices, most importantly symbolism, foreshadowing, and characterization, to expand upon these themes. |
A Brief Summary
As the story begins, Aylmer, an obsessive scientist, has recently married Georgiana, a beautiful woman with one apparent physical flaw: a hand-shaped red birthmark upon her left cheek. Soon after their marriage, Aylmer becomes fixated upon his wife's birthmark and one day brings up the subject of removing it. The subject is dismissed temporarily, but then one night Aylmer dreams of surgically removing the birthmark and screams in his sleep that it is inside Georgiana's heart.
After this episode, Georgiana, becoming increasingly upset by her husband's birthmark-obsession, finally agrees to have him perform a treatment to remove it. Thus, Georgiana is isolated in a luxurious boudoir while Aylmer works night and day in the adjoining lab to discover a treatment. He finally concocts a potion which his wife willingly drinks. The birthmark fades gradually into non-existence, but at the cost of Georgiana's life, who dies immediately after the success of her treatment. The story ends on a somewhat preachy note with Hawthorne's musings on Aylmer's lack of profound wisdom and the finding of divine happiness in the midst of imperfection and mortality. |