"The Birthmark" (Since I posted the blog late at 9:17 AM on Saturday, you have until 9:17 on Monday to post.
Using evidence from the text, write an essay explaining why Aymler, the protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birthmark", undertake his fatal experiment?
Nathaniel Hawthrone’s The Birthmark tells an interesting tale that talks of some fairly questionable actions that can disturb the reader. The reader is likely to walk away from the story but question all the words spoken and actions committed. The largest question is why would Aylmer decide to continue on with his experiment on his wife, when the answer can be found throughout the text. In the initial paragraph many clues are given to the readers that can lead to the answer to why Aylmer undertook the experiment on Georgiana. Hawthorne establishes a clear opposition that, we can only assume, will play a major role in the story. That opposition is the difference in reality between physical sciences and spiritual affinity. It is also made clear that Aylmer is getting married and to live a true, married life, he will have to give up his life of science. Now, at this point, Hawthorne reminds us that the search for power and knowledge, that Aylmer believes can be gained through science, can be more appealing to some than the search for love. Eventually, towards the end of the paragraph, it is made clear to us that Aylmer will not give up science for anything, in fact, he will even hide it if that becomes necessary. Already, by the end of this paragraph, we are seeing strong themes of obsession and ambition. Continuing on with the story, the reader eventually gets to the point where it begins to speak about Georgiana’s birthmark, which she has originally no problem with, she even thinks it to be a sort of charm. Despite what his wife feels, Aylmer hates it, he views it as a defect and an imperfection. Now, it is already known that Aylmer is obsessed with perfection, so we can see why he hates the mark so much. It is also known that perfection to him doesn’t just relate to physical perfection, but combining the physical and spiritual aspects to obtain ultimate perfection. Georgiana eventually comes to a conclusion that she hates the mark as well and deeply wishes for it to be removed. Now, Aylmer knows that his best discoveries were during his youth. It is clear to him that his career is failing in the eyes of other people, and he is starting to wonder about it himself. He is searching and trying to find his next largest discovery, which is leading him to never be content with small successes. It is also known to the readers that despite being a physical scientist, Aylmer was interested in philosophy, which led him to want to combine spirituality and physicality and obtain spirituality. So when Aylmer gets to conduct this experiment on his wife, he sees it as a way to get closer to obtain ultimate perfection. He views it as being greater than mankind. Finally, the question of why Aylmer felt the great need to continue on with the experiment on his wife becomes clearer. Aylmer was obsessed with physical and spiritual perfection, and the idea of getting to remove this “defect” on his wife consumed him. He was so driven to complete this experiment so that he could obtain what he was after spiritually. He also figured that if he was successful in this endeavor, he would redeem what was his failed career and prove to everyone that he was just as great as they were. All the questions that get raised through reading this story can be found within the words of the text. Aylmer had a reason to go through with his experiment, even if it only made sense to his mind.
This is a great essay, Audrey! The paragraph where you talk about spirituality is definitely the most interesting. He continually relates spirituality to physical perfection.
Great job Audrey! I love how you pointed out how Alymer becomes obsessed with physical and spiritual perfection. Another great point on how he believed other people see his career failing.
A scientist purposely killing a human test subject is unthinkable in today’s world, but that is what happens in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Birthmark. Aylmer, the protagonist of the story, does a fatal experiment on his wife Georgiana to remove her birthmark. Strangely, Aylmer goes through with the experiment despite knowing it was going to be fatal, and even stranger, Georgiana agrees to this experiment. But why would Aylmer do this? Aylmer’s experiment serves as a way to help him let go of his past and finally find the knowledge about the spiritual elements of nature he had long sought for. On the surface, The Birthmark may seem like an odd, bland story, but it secretly tells something much deeper.
The story begins by giving background information on who Aylmer is. He was a famous scientist who was said to be skilled in every branch of science. Aylmer’s love for science was great, and because he had such a large understanding of it, he came to grasp and fully comprehend all things that were logical about it. The focus of his studies shifted to the spiritual aspect of nature. Despite his best efforts and many years of studying, he could never make any discoveries on the spiritual side. He eventually left his career, but was still craving knowledge on the spiritual side of nature. All hope felt lost, but then he met his wife Georgiana. Georgiana was considered to be beautiful by many, and Aylmer was drawn into that beauty. Georgiana is noted to have a birthmark that is shaped like a hand on her check, and some people say, “that some fairy at her birth hour had laid her tiny hand upon the infant's cheek.” Aylmer was drawn into that beauty of the birthmark, and that’s what motivated him to marry her. Georgiana was attractive to Aylmer because she represents the door to spiritual knowledge that Aylmer has always wanted, and to him the birthmark represented the keyhole. Aylmer just needed to key. Georgiana has allowed Aylmer to be one step closer to the spiritual knowledge he had always sought after.
Georgiana was nearly perfect in terms of beauty. Her beauty seemed otherworldly to many, but for some, the birthmark ruined it. Overtime, Aylmer comes to despise the birthmark, and he dreads seeing it every single day. Georgiana represents the spiritual knowledge Aylmer wants, and he soon realizes the birthmark acts as a blockade that will not let him obtain it. The birthmark serves as Aylmer’s reminder of his past failures, and as a result it drives him insane. The birthmark not only serves a reminder of Aylmer’s shortcomings, but of Georgiana’s as well. As Aylmer calls her out for having the ugly mark, the narrator mentions, “Some fastidious persons-but they were exclusively of her own sex-affirmed that the bloody hand, as they chose to call it, quite destroyed the effect of Georgiana's beauty, and rendered her countenance even hideous.” Every woman strives to be beautiful throughout their lives, and Georgina would never be able to do that. They both strived for something far out of their control, and their failures drove them mad. The fact the mark represents failure is supported by this quote from Aylmer, “She [nature] permits us, indeed, to mar...seldom to mend” To mar something is to impair its appearance. The birthmark mar’s Georgiana’s appearance in the same way Aylmer marred nature. Their failures brought them to insanity, and that all comes together in Aylmer’s dream. Aylmer once had a dream in which he tried to remove the birthmark, but it sunk into Georgiana and started gripping her heart. Since the birthmark represents their own failures, their shortcomings are now gripping at their hearts, and they can not handle their pasts anymore. Aylmer loved science, so his experiences will never leave his heart, and therefore his failures will not either. Beauty is important to Georgiana, so that is what is in her heart, thus the mark is in her heart as well. After discussing the dream, they have a dialogue about removing the mark. Georgiana begs Aylmer to remove it, saying, “If there is the remotest possibility of it...let the attempt be made at whatever risk.” Georgiana represented Aylmer’s key to the spiritual, and now Aylmer represents Georgiana’s key to beauty. Aylmer and Georgiana want to fix the failures of their pasts and achieve their personal desires, and that is what drives them to remove the mark.
Aylmer and Georgiana are now on the doorstep of removing the burdens of their past. Aylmer is now ready to once again try to find, and test, his spiritual knowledge because now he has a guide, Georgiana. When Georgiana was inside the lab, she asked Aylmer about the elixir of life. After hearing an explanation about the elixir, she asks if that’s what he will use on her. Aylmer responds saying, “”Oh, no,” hastily replied her husband; ''”this is merely superficial. Your case demands a remedy that shall go deeper.”" Aylmer now knows how to find his spiritual knowledge thanks to knowing Georgiana, and now all he needs to do is to test it. The fact that he knows what he is doing is further reiterated by the statement that he, “hastily,” responds. Another detail noting that they represent each other’s desires is when Georgiana has a sudden sensation to follow Aylmer while he was going back to create the elixir, as detailed by the narrator, “Georgiana felt irresistibly impelled to follow him.” Because of this, Georgiana hears from Aylmer that the experiment will have fatal consequences. She states that, “Danger? There is but one danger-that this horrible stigma shall be left upon my check!” This means that she feels death is worthwhile. But there is another reason she accepts her own death: love. One of the themes established in the story was that of love versus science. This is supported by the fact that in the opening sentences the narrator says, “He had left his laboratory to the care of an assistant...and washed the stain of acids from his fingers, and persuaded a beautiful woman to become his life.” The acid represents Aylmer’s science, and the fact that he washed his fingers before finding Georgiana signifies that the two are meant to be seperated. However, towards the end of the story, that changes. In the laboratory’s library, Georgiana reads some of Aylmer’s old records on his experiments. Though they were successful, the tone of the writing gave off the feeling that Aylmer was still failing. This was because he was never able to find the spiritual side of science and nature. Aylmer finds her and says, “Ah, wait for this one success...then worship me if you will.” In this moment, Georgiana finally realizes that she is the key to make Aylmer happy. That fact gives her the extra motivation to carry on with the experiment, despite its fatal consequences. By Georgiana giving herself to Aylmer, the love she has for her mixes with his science. Georgiana then carries on with the experiment, and as predicted, dies. Georgiana’s death allows for Aylmer to finally find enlightenment, and Georgiana is rid of the mark that made her so hideous, ending the control the birthmark had on them both.
The Birthmark is a story about diving into the complexities of nature, and the consequences of messing with them. Because Aylmer lacked understanding of the spiritual, it resulted in the death of his wife. He messed with nature, and they both paid the price. Georgiana lost her life, and Aylmer lost his happiness. They wanted to remove the birthmark to remove their past failures, but in truth it served as a warning that some things should not be changed. Georgiana’s love for Aylmer allows her to go through with the experiment, which allows Aylmer’s science to let them both find happiness. At this moment, love and science come together. On the surface, The Birthmark looks like just a story of a man gone insane. In reality it is about love, nature, science, regrets, enlightenment, and happiness.
That was a very very well written essay tanner. Your word choice throughout the essay was very good and you really mad the story make a lot more sense. Very well written essay tanner!!
In Nathaniel Hawthrone’s “The Birthmark”, a scientist preforms an experiment that, in today’s world, would call his bioethical morals into question. This story is nothing but dark and gory, and it makes the readers question many things. The largest idea that one would question is the reasoning that Aylmer would even decide to preform this experiment. The story begins off by diving into who Aylmer, a famous scientist in just about every branch of science, is and how he had such a love for science. However, he a.so had a love for a woman, causing his science experiments to sometimes clash with his love life. Originally, at the beginning of the story, Georgiana had no issue with the birthmark, rather she saw it as a charm. However, Aylmer appeared to have every issue with it calling it both a defect and an imperfection. Aylmer, all throughout the story, has hated it so it’s clear that he would want to do everything in his power to get rid of it. Through much listening, Georgiana comes to dislike the birthmark as well. To Aylmer, convincing his wife to do this surgery would lead to what he considers “the ultimate perfection” in mankind. Finally, Aylmer’s reasoning for this experiment becomes even clearer. He wanted to be more connected spiritually and he believes that this experiment will help him reach that. He also thought that this experiment could “put him on the map” and make others realize that his career is as successful as others. So while one may not be able to pick out one specific reasoning as to what drove Aylmer to preform this unethical experiment, there is evidence in the text that suggests why. However, in the end, his reasoning is within his mind and only makes sense to him, no one else.
This is a great essay Jackie! I thought it was really interesting how you included that part about how the experiment Aylmer did would call his bioethical morals into severe questioning in today’s world.
This is a really good essay Jackie! I like how you bring out bioethical morals in the introduction. I like the point about the rivalry between love and science.
The Birthmark is a narrative that tells the story of a scientist and his almost perfect wife. Aylmer, the scientist, wanted to perform an experiment on his wife because of a birthmark that made her imperfect to him. This story leaves the reader to question why Aylmer would risk performing a fatal experiment on the women he loves just to remove a birthmark. The Birthmark reveals that Aylmer’s reasoning is far more deep than just his wife’s, Georgiana, birthmark. Aylmer is a man who is obsessed with science and has a love for discovery. He has found great interest in science since he was very young and continues to do so in his adulthood. He realizes that marrying Georgiana will cause conflict with his science, so he must choose between them. Aylmer will have to dedicate his time to his wife rather than to science in his laboratory. Science gives Aylmer the potential to gain knowledge and spiritual power which drives his interest in it. His wife does not intrigue him as science does, so there will always be a rivalry between the two. Aylmer knows he should choose his wife and devote his life to her, but he knows he will never be able to truly extinguish his love for science. Georgiana has a birthmark which has never caused any bother to her. She sees it as a charm and so do many other men, however some think it makes her unattractive. Aylmer is one of the men that see it as an imperfection and think that it takes away from her beauty. Aylmer slowly begins to despise the birthmark and becomes disgusted with Georgiana because of it. Aylmer’s obsession with the birthmark causes Georgiana to hate it as well. His interpretation of the birthmark is that it ruined something beautiful and he wants her to be perfect, so they decide to remove it. He conducts an experiment to remove the birthmark so that Georgiana can be perfect and he can still work on his science. Aylmer believes that if the birthmark is removed everything will be perfect and his love for Georgiana will grow stronger. Aylmer continues on with his fatal experiment because he is obsessed with perfection and will do anything to obtain it. He believed that perfection was everything and if he obtained it his science career would flourish. Completing the experiment successfully would allow him to love his wife and science so he would no longer have to choose. Aylmer also continued the experiment because he hates his wife. Georgiana took him away from his true love, science, so instead of hating her he funnels his hatred to her birthmark. His obsession with perfection and science caused him to continue the experiment with little concern about the consequences. Aylmer lost his wife and his science career did not flourish like he had hoped. The entire experiment backfired on both Aylmer and Georgiana. Nothing is perfect for a reason.
This is great, Abby! I did find it interesting that you said that Aylmer hated Georgiana due to her distracting him from science. I mainly thought of it through the scope of Aylmer’s self-interest, but that makes a lot of sense.
Abby, I liked how you talked about the conflict of Alymer’s love for science and the love for his wife. I also agree that he loved science more than his wife.
Nathaniel Hawthrones book, the birthmark, is a story about bioethical morals that the main character had. A scientist named Alymer started an experiment on his wife to rid her of an imperfect birthmark in her check. Alymer in this story, convinces Georgiana that her birthmark is hideous, he lets his obsession with science and perfection come in between him and his wife, and when he knows that getting rid of it could harm her but he continues. The story starts as a happy couple getting married and excited to start their life together. Alymer Marty’s Georgiana, a beautiful young woman who’s only flaw is a small birthmark on her cheek. Georgiana has always thought the birthmark was a type of charm and made her stand out from other women. This was until Alymer’s outward disgust with it. As the story says “In this manner, selecting it as a symbol of his wife’s liability to sin, sorrow, death, and decay”. His thoughts on the birthmark manipulates his wife into his obsession with perfection. Alymer’s love for science and love for his wife causes an opposition in the story. He tried to push his love for science aside to make room in his life for his wife until he thought of the idea to combine the two things he loves; his wife and science. When he notices the imperfection he starts to become extremely obsessed with it. He is unable to let it go and his love for science takes over as he thinks of a way to remove it. Alymer knew that the procedure would most likely kill her but he continued anyway. He was so obsessed with imperfection and wanted to compete with God that he was willing to risk his wife’s life. He understood the risks but still encouraged Georgiana to continue and even shamed her at the slightest of hesitation. Alymer undertook this experiment knowing the risks, and letting science and the desire of perfection to compete with God to perform a dangerous experiment on his wife. His wife had perished because of the experiment and while the experiment did succeed to an extent his career did not further.
I really enjoyed reading through your essay Lani! I especially liked that you pointed out how the main source of opposition in the story was between his love for science and his love for his wife.
Lani, I really like how you used the word obsession for Alymer’s love of science. This is the perfect description for this. I agree that the birthmark made her stand out.
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, “The Birthmark,” was a story of many hidden details that deserve thorough investigation. It included some extremely interesting intentions as to why Aylmer would perform this dangerous experiment on his wife, Georgiana, to remove a birthmark. These intentions include his spiritual endeavors which involve perfection and a scientific career filled with countless failures.
One of the reasons why Aylmer chose this is due to his desire for perfection and spirituality. For example, Aylmer says, “No, dearest Georgiana, you came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature that this slightest possible defect, which we hesitate whether to term a defect or a beauty, shocks me, as being the visible mark of earthly imperfection (paragraph 5).” This quote represents how important imperfection is to him and how much he wants to change it. Another quote that shows this is, “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 (paragraph 8).” This shows how Aylmer believed that even though only one little thing was not perfect, that was still keeping Georgiana from true spirituality. In other words, physical perfection and spirituality are directly linked to each other. Therefore, Aylmer’s thoughts on spirituality and his phobia of imperfection led to his experiment.
Aylmer also decided on this experiment, because he knew that his career was not successful. An example of this is, “Much as he had accomplished, she could not but observe that his most splendid successes were almost invariably failures…(paragraph 51).” This quote represents how even though he had some great findings, he still failed in other ways. Another quote says, “‘Ah, wait for this one success,’ rejoined he, ‘then worship me if you will (paragraph 55).’” This shows that Aylmer realizes his own shortcomings and that he truly believes that this experiment will change his legacy. He is also trying to prove others wrong, because everyone thinks that his science is useless and impossible. Moreover, his failed career encouraged him to perform this experiment.
Aylmer performed this experiment on Georgiana because of his belief in spirituality and physical perfection being interconnected and his unsuccessful scientific endeavors. So many of these details would be missed if not looked at closely, because they are hidden behind an incredibly questionable and interesting experiment.
Things take a dramatic turn in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birthmark.” Just when you think you have the protagonist, Aymler, figured out the author throws you for a loop and you’re left questioning everything you thought you knew. The work is truly one of the best physiological thrillers of all time. However the question remains; why did Aymler go through with his deadly plan? If he was so in love with his wife why sacrifice her for the destruction of something as insignificant as a birthmark? The answer can be found once one takes the time to truly analyze the text. The story begins with the introduction of Aymler’s character, what kind of man he is and what he strives for. It’s easy to see that Aymler is a man of science who longs for answers. However as you continue to read, you begin to notice some strange details. Lines that l depict that Aymler longs for not only a connection to the physical world but also for a connection to the spiritual world as well. In fact this aspect of Aymler is so stressed it almost seems like the protagonist is obsessed with the notion of being one with the spiritual world. A man so obsessed with science would most definitely emerge in his studies alone right? Well not exactly. Surprisingly we learn that Aymler is married but he struggles to separate his work from his wife. So as a solution he combines the two. His wife knew of Aymler’s past excitements. How he hit his peak long ago and has failed to do anything spectacular since. To Aylmer these failures are devastatingly . Theyer what drove him to continue his work, obsessively looking for his next project until he found it in his wife. The special thing about his wife is that she has a small hand shaped birthmark on her left cheek. At first the mark doesn’t bother Aymler but as time goes on he grows to despise it. This hatred leads to an obsession with removing it. He convinces his wife to go through with his plans and as a result he knowingly kills her. His obsession with redeeming himself became too much and his wife dies as a result.
Good work, Tiff! I liked how you said that Aylmer was ashamed of his scientific struggles and how his pursuit of perfection was fueled by his failure. I enjoyed reading this.
The story “The Birthmark” tells the story of a man who loves science about anything else. He later falls in love with a woman who would later become his wife. Alymer tries to balance his love between science and his beautiful wife, but it could not be done. It all began with the birthmark on his wife’s face. In the beginning of the story, Georgina, Alymer’s wife, loves the birthmark on her face. She sees the birthmark as a charm. As the story continues on, Alymer starts to hate the birthmark on her face. He thinks that the birthmark is a defect. Georgina was a beautiful woman, but Alymer could not look past the small birthmark. Alymer also tells us that it is ugly and nobody likes it. As these words are going through Georgina’s mind, she starts to think differently about her birthmark. She starts to see herself differently. She finally decides that she needs to get it removed as soon as she can. As soon as the chance comes along, Alymer says that he can remove it. Georgina decides to go along with it. This is when Alymer’s love for science starts to overtake the love for his wife. Alymer should be focused on the health of his wife, but all he is worried about is making her perfect. He also wants to find a way to remove the birthmark using science. He wanted to feel successful, and he also wanted to feel like he accomplished something important. When the procedure started to get the birthmark removed, Alymer did not even realize that his wife was dying. All that he was thinking about was that he got rid of the birthmark. Her skin was getting so pale for the elixir that she took that you could not even see the birthmark on her face. Alymer’s love of science got the better of him. He just wanted to make his wife perfect, and the only way that he thought he could do that was to get rid of the birthmark. He was able to accomplish this, but only by killing his wife.
Tami, I really like how you interpreted this story and how you deduced its meaning. I also like the context you gave. I think it helps strengthen your argument. Good job!
Good work Tami! Very well written and organized. I love your explanations and details about how Aylmer felt during the experiment with the removal of the birthmark. Very nice job!
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark.” Aylmer, the protagonist, submits his wife to experimentation in an attempt to remove a hand-shaped birthmark on her cheek. Before the experimentation begins, Georgiana's attitude toward the birthmark drastically changes because of the obsession of her husband over it. Due to Aylmer’s nagging, she agrees. Aylmer is known for being well-renowned for his scientific achievement, especially in his youth. He is known as a man of science, and made many contributions to the scientific community within his youth; however, in recent years, his scientific achievements have been rather nonexistent. This can be seen in his journal, as well as in his attitude toward his work. It can also be seen in how he refers to the outcome of this experiment, his “one success.” From Georgiana's perspective, this would seem rather suspicious and would raise a variety of red flags, especially considering the fact the Aylmer is going to make her drink a suspicious potion. Because of his recent failures, one could conclude that Aylmer did what he did in order to feel like his former self, a true man of science, or possibly even a shadow of his former success. The text also states that Aylmer took everything at face value, but also spiritualized it all. By analyzing this notion, one could determine that in order to complete his spirituality, Georgiana must be perfect physically. The only thing impeding this is the birthmark on her cheek; therefore, in order to feel satisfied with his life, she must look perfect. Therefore, it can be concluded that Aylmer did what he did to feel satisfied with his wife, his life, and to feel like his younger self, rather than the failure he became. Sadly, this is not the outcome that occurred. Like his more recent experiments, this turned into a tragic loss. As a result of the experiment, Georgiana died.
Wonderful essay Alex! I liked your point of how Aylmer was attempting to feel like his old self again after recent failures. Georgiana’s perfection was also a great point as he needed that for his own spirituality.
“The Birthmark” is a complicated story that turns from a love of husband and wife to a horrifying tale of science versus nature. The story is about a scientist named Aylmer who marries a woman named Georgiana who had a birthmark on her check. Aylmer wished to remove the mark by performing an experiment on Georgina. Aylmer begins his life as a husband retiring from his laboratory to spend time with his wife, but ultimately reveals his true love for science. This new lifestyle of Aylmer’s will turn out to be an obstacle for Aylmer’s relationship and profession. Aylmer’s career included discoveries in nature. His fascination with the elements and the process of life is a kindling to his obsession with the endless possibilities of nature. Nature creates an environment to foster mankind. Science has always been a way to escape reality. “…the philosopher should lay his hand on the secret of creative force and perhaps make new worlds for himself.” His new idea of creating worlds for himself led him to believe he could create one with science and his wife. His creativity sparked as he suggested removing the birthmark off of Georgiana’s cheek. The Birthmark was one of either beauty or disgust. The mark’s resemblance to a small hand can suggest a bloody hand full of horror or the magic of a tiny fairy’s handprint. Aylmer developed a fixation upon this mark and ultimately thought of it as disgusting. “No, dearest Georgiana, you came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature that this slightest possible defect…being the visible mark of earthly imperfection.” Georgiana soon became embarrassed by the mark and even said she’d rather die than live with the mark on her cheek. Aylmer wished to make his wife perfect and even went through the experiment of removing it knowing the fatal consequences. Aylmer mainly went through with the experiment because he was satisfied with the relationship between his wife and science. The experiment was a way to merge the two. Aylmer believed his investigations of nature could be found in this experiment. The text states, “…Aylmer resumed these half-forgotten investigations; not, of course, with such hopes or wishes as first suggested them; but because they involved much psychological truth and lay in the path of his proposed scheme for the treatment of Georgiana.” The treatment of his wife would find his answers to studies he needed to complete his study of nature; the studies of human life. These answers he’d always wanted were right in his laboratory, an experiment away with nothing holding him back. He used her as a science project and she mistook this as love. Ultimately, the experiment that killed Georgiana was not thought through as Aylmer had his eyes on one thing: answers. Even before marrying Georgina, Aylmer had lost his identity within his profession. Science was his only purpose. He yearned for answers within his wife as he wished to intertwine both of his loves yet it was too late. The birthmark opened an opportunity to widen his intelligence and he became so deeply obsessed that his wife turned into a hideous sight. Georgiana’s life was taken away at the price of science as Aylmer lost himself in nature.
Great analysis, Hope! I enjoyed reading your take on things. My favorite part was where you explained how his marriage was doomed before it even began.
In the story of “The Birthmark” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, a mad scientist uses his knowledge on his wife to examine his obsession with human perfection. Aylmer is the main character and protagonist in the story as the crazy, famous scientist and natural philosopher. He takes time off of his experiments and studies to marry his wife, Georgiana. She is a beautiful, intelligent, and caring woman who is physically and spiritually lovely, but Aylmer is intrigued by her “flaw” that he wants to remove, which is her birthmark. The birthmark can be visibly seen on her left check of her face. At first, Aylmer is in awe of the birthmark as it makes her even more visibly beautiful than any other girl, but after time, Aylmer gets tired off looking at it and wants to do everything in his power to get rid of the mark. Georgiana agrees to Aylmer’s proposal of an experiment for him to operate to fully remove the “charm” and that is when the “fatal experiment” begins to unfold. Now Aylmer started think of this operation as more of an experiment rather than doing it as an act of his love for his wife Georgiana. As they were about to start, Georgiana was looking around his laboratory and she noticed a book that had all of his past experiments with his results inside. As she is looking through it, she see that all of his achievements always falls short of the original goals that he sets. This begins to worry Georgiana as she starts to question herself if she should still fall forward with the removal of her birthmark. She begins to think about how Aylmer refuses to love her as she is, insisting instead to create his own version of the wife he wants. As she is thinking this, Aylmer walks in and hands her a potion that he says will not fail and she drinks it and she begins to sleep. Aylmer begins to watch this process of healing as if it was one of his scientific experiments with the thought of nothing could go wrong. After some time, the birthmark begins to fade away and is no longer visible and Georgiana looks the way that Aylmer wanted her to look. Georgiana wakes up and looks into the mirror states her final words before passing away. Aylmer's love and passion about science got the best of him as he had killed his wife in a failed experiment.
Good essay mason! It is neatly organized and I liked the conclusion paragraph. I liked how you explained her regret right before the experiment takes place.
The birthmark is a cautionary tale about Aylmer and his wife Georgiana. He is scientist who goes on a spiritual journey seeking a greater power. Along this journey, Alymer finds himself caught up in obsession and wastes away his marriage seeking perfection. In the story, Alymer finds satisfaction only after his marriage is over. He ends up killing his wife. The story warns the reader that perfection is unreachable and satisfaction in the material world may only be recieved through sinful actions.
Young Alymer had made great discoveries scientifically and knew he should be fulfilled in this aspect of his life. He decides to then work on his spiritual life. Georgiana is a beautiful woman that he then marries. He refers to her as his doorway to perfection spiritually. He asks to remove a birthmark on her cheek because he views it as the thing standing between them and spiritual perfection. An example of this in the text is, “In this manner, selecting it as the symbol of his wife's liability to sin, sorrow, decay, and death….” Alymer is a perfectionist and he wants for them to be perfect in order to be perfect in their religion. He feels the removal of this one birthmark will fix all of the other issues in their marriage.
Georgiana had never seen the birthmark as a blemish before. The narrator and Alymer’s assistant both describe it as a part of her beauty. They see that it blends into her features and enhances them. Alymer is unable to see it this way and becomes disgusted by it because he can not stop thinking of how much prettier she would be without it. Eventually, Georgiana just wants to please him and agrees to do anything to get rid of the birthmark.
Alymer makes it clear in the beginning of the passage that he does not see how his wife and their love could be more interesting than science. He feels science is boundless and has aspirations to make even greater discoveries. In comparison to science, he finds his wife shallow, boring, and predictable. His solution to this is to make her a part of his scientific journey, and he keeps telling himself that it is part of his spiritual journey. Using Georgiana as his subject for the human form, he goes about trying to discover the scientific answer to how humans, and all of creation, were formed. He does not find these answers, but he does create an elixir to heal her birthmark. This elixir ends up killing her, but Alymer is satisfied. This is a true example of the devil on Earth. It is like Adam and Eve going after the answers through that apple. Alymer tries to perfect his wife, but neglects himself. In his journey to become a more spiritual person, he becomes a terrible person.
Overall, Alymer chose to kill his wife because he was overtaken by his obsession with perfection. He resented her for taking his focus away from science. So, he tries to make her a part of his experiments to possibly love her. By telling himself he was seeking God, he justifies his evil intentions and actions. The birthmark is a symbol of his own flaws, not hers.
The Tower of Babel is a very well known Old Testament story where all the nations of the world come together as one and try to spite God. They said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” God then came down and scattered them across the face of the earth and confused their language. In “The Birthmark,” the wife of Alymer, Georginia, is the most beautiful human being Alymer has ever seen. However, she has one imperfection which is a birthmark on her cheek. Alymer is a very smart scientist. He wants to prove to himself and everyone else that he is the smartest of his time. He not only tried to play God but he tried to make something that was imperfect, perfect. Georgina did not try to talk him out of it but she was told to by her friends. Her friends realized that Alymer was going crazy over Georginas imperfection. Alymer tried to play God and lost the love of his life.
“The Birthmark,” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, tells about Aylmer, an extremely determined scientist and natural philosopher who lived during the early-mid 1800s. To give some context, during this time period, science was booming with new ideas, some even miracle-like. Aylmer placed a lot of trust in science and philosophy. During his life, he became obsessed with perfection from his extreme love for science. This obsession consumed his everyday life, and nothing could separate Aylmer from his science and studies. This becomes evident by the end of the first paragraph, which also hints towards a potential rival to his obsession. However, Aylmer was so deeply invested in science, that having another priority would be impossible for him to maintain. Aylmer’s wife, who he loved dearly, was the clear candidate for the rival to his notorious obsession. Her name was Georgiana, a stunningly beautiful girl, who was born with a birthmark in the shape of a hand. She never thought twice about the birthmark, and even considered it a charm. Likewise, Aylmer was never bothered by the birthmark, until after their marriage. It started to become the only thing that he noticed about her. He began to hint to Georgiana that it should be removed, until he eventually just comes out and says it. He even claims that it is a sign of sin, death, and decay. Aylmer was obsessed with perfection, and wanted nothing more than for Georgiana’s “defect,” to be removed. He believed that this way she would be perfectly beautiful, because before, the mark was the only “bad” part about her. Once Aylmer reveals these thoughts, it is clear to the audience that he possesses some sort of background issues that caused him to act this way. He seems to carry some narcissistic traits, as well as over-ambition, and setting unrealistic goals for himself. This ultimately leads to his new obsession, which combines both science and love, his two most important passions. His goal to make Georgiana perfect, gave him the idea of an ultimate success, both in the physical sciences, and spirituality. Aylmer didn’t really have a good objective reason to undertake this experiment, but that didn’t matter to him. It made sense in Aylmer’s head, as delusional as he was, and he carried on with it. He blinded himself from enjoying literally anything, by attempting to gain all things through his science. He let his obsession give him the idea that power and knowledge are achievable through science, even more so than love.
Great Work Tom! I really like your analysis on breaking down the whole story. I agree that he was obsessed with more with is love of science than his love for his wife. All in all, nice job!
Well written essay Tommy! I love the breakdown of the story and your word choice was flawless. It wasn’t as good as tanners but it was definitely good.
In the Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birthmark" the protagonist Aylmer is a scientist in the 1800s. Aylmer was a very smart scientist who has a deep love for science as well. He knew almost everything there was to know about science. He had a wife who he also clammed to love very deeply. His wife Georgian has a birthmark on her cheek that looked like hand. Aylmer didn’t care about the birthmark before their marriag but after it was all he could think about or notice about her. The birthmark was her only flaw she was beautiful in every other way to Aylmer. As the story goes on you slowly figure out that he Is slowly falling more in love with the birthmark not her. He was so astounded by it that he had to know more about it and he had to figure it out. He talked her into letting do the experiment because he wanted to make her perfect. He didn’t have any good reason other then being so fascinated by it and wanting her to be perfect.
Wow, great essay, Sienna Nelson! I love how you tie in the stressors of your busy life to make me feel bad for you, and then you explain the grave of WritePaper,Info and how it saved you. This essay was a great showcase of rhetoric, well done!
Nathaniel Hawthrone’s The Birthmark tells an interesting tale that talks of some fairly questionable actions that can disturb the reader. The reader is likely to walk away from the story but question all the words spoken and actions committed. The largest question is why would Aylmer decide to continue on with his experiment on his wife, when the answer can be found throughout the text.
ReplyDeleteIn the initial paragraph many clues are given to the readers that can lead to the answer to why Aylmer undertook the experiment on Georgiana. Hawthorne establishes a clear opposition that, we can only assume, will play a major role in the story. That opposition is the difference in reality between physical sciences and spiritual affinity. It is also made clear that Aylmer is getting married and to live a true, married life, he will have to give up his life of science. Now, at this point, Hawthorne reminds us that the search for power and knowledge, that Aylmer believes can be gained through science, can be more appealing to some than the search for love. Eventually, towards the end of the paragraph, it is made clear to us that Aylmer will not give up science for anything, in fact, he will even hide it if that becomes necessary. Already, by the end of this paragraph, we are seeing strong themes of obsession and ambition.
Continuing on with the story, the reader eventually gets to the point where it begins to speak about Georgiana’s birthmark, which she has originally no problem with, she even thinks it to be a sort of charm. Despite what his wife feels, Aylmer hates it, he views it as a defect and an imperfection. Now, it is already known that Aylmer is obsessed with perfection, so we can see why he hates the mark so much. It is also known that perfection to him doesn’t just relate to physical perfection, but combining the physical and spiritual aspects to obtain ultimate perfection. Georgiana eventually comes to a conclusion that she hates the mark as well and deeply wishes for it to be removed. Now, Aylmer knows that his best discoveries were during his youth. It is clear to him that his career is failing in the eyes of other people, and he is starting to wonder about it himself. He is searching and trying to find his next largest discovery, which is leading him to never be content with small successes. It is also known to the readers that despite being a physical scientist, Aylmer was interested in philosophy, which led him to want to combine spirituality and physicality and obtain spirituality. So when Aylmer gets to conduct this experiment on his wife, he sees it as a way to get closer to obtain ultimate perfection. He views it as being greater than mankind.
Finally, the question of why Aylmer felt the great need to continue on with the experiment on his wife becomes clearer. Aylmer was obsessed with physical and spiritual perfection, and the idea of getting to remove this “defect” on his wife consumed him. He was so driven to complete this experiment so that he could obtain what he was after spiritually. He also figured that if he was successful in this endeavor, he would redeem what was his failed career and prove to everyone that he was just as great as they were.
All the questions that get raised through reading this story can be found within the words of the text. Aylmer had a reason to go through with his experiment, even if it only made sense to his mind.
This is a great essay, Audrey! The paragraph where you talk about spirituality is definitely the most interesting. He continually relates spirituality to physical perfection.
DeleteThis is awesome audrey! Great job analyzing the text! I liked the points you made!
DeleteGreat job Audrey! I love how you pointed out how Alymer becomes obsessed with physical and spiritual perfection. Another great point on how he believed other people see his career failing.
DeleteA scientist purposely killing a human test subject is unthinkable in today’s world, but that is what happens in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Birthmark. Aylmer, the protagonist of the story, does a fatal experiment on his wife Georgiana to remove her birthmark. Strangely, Aylmer goes through with the experiment despite knowing it was going to be fatal, and even stranger, Georgiana agrees to this experiment. But why would Aylmer do this? Aylmer’s experiment serves as a way to help him let go of his past and finally find the knowledge about the spiritual elements of nature he had long sought for. On the surface, The Birthmark may seem like an odd, bland story, but it secretly tells something much deeper.
ReplyDeleteThe story begins by giving background information on who Aylmer is. He was a famous scientist who was said to be skilled in every branch of science. Aylmer’s love for science was great, and because he had such a large understanding of it, he came to grasp and fully comprehend all things that were logical about it. The focus of his studies shifted to the spiritual aspect of nature. Despite his best efforts and many years of studying, he could never make any discoveries on the spiritual side. He eventually left his career, but was still craving knowledge on the spiritual side of nature. All hope felt lost, but then he met his wife Georgiana. Georgiana was considered to be beautiful by many, and Aylmer was drawn into that beauty. Georgiana is noted to have a birthmark that is shaped like a hand on her check, and some people say, “that some fairy at her birth hour had laid her tiny hand upon the infant's cheek.” Aylmer was drawn into that beauty of the birthmark, and that’s what motivated him to marry her. Georgiana was attractive to Aylmer because she represents the door to spiritual knowledge that Aylmer has always wanted, and to him the birthmark represented the keyhole. Aylmer just needed to key. Georgiana has allowed Aylmer to be one step closer to the spiritual knowledge he had always sought after.
Georgiana was nearly perfect in terms of beauty. Her beauty seemed otherworldly to many, but for some, the birthmark ruined it. Overtime, Aylmer comes to despise the birthmark, and he dreads seeing it every single day. Georgiana represents the spiritual knowledge Aylmer wants, and he soon realizes the birthmark acts as a blockade that will not let him obtain it. The birthmark serves as Aylmer’s reminder of his past failures, and as a result it drives him insane. The birthmark not only serves a reminder of Aylmer’s shortcomings, but of Georgiana’s as well. As Aylmer calls her out for having the ugly mark, the narrator mentions, “Some fastidious persons-but they were exclusively of her own sex-affirmed that the bloody hand, as they chose to call it, quite destroyed the effect of Georgiana's beauty, and rendered her countenance even hideous.” Every woman strives to be beautiful throughout their lives, and Georgina would never be able to do that. They both strived for something far out of their control, and their failures drove them mad. The fact the mark represents failure is supported by this quote from Aylmer, “She [nature] permits us, indeed, to mar...seldom to mend” To mar something is to impair its appearance. The birthmark mar’s Georgiana’s appearance in the same way Aylmer marred nature. Their failures brought them to insanity, and that all comes together in Aylmer’s dream. Aylmer once had a dream in which he tried to remove the birthmark, but it sunk into Georgiana and started gripping her heart. Since the birthmark represents their own failures, their shortcomings are now gripping at their hearts, and they can not handle their pasts anymore. Aylmer loved science, so his experiences will never leave his heart, and therefore his failures will not either. Beauty is important to Georgiana, so that is what is in her heart, thus the mark is in her heart as well. After discussing the dream, they have a dialogue about removing the mark. Georgiana begs Aylmer to remove it, saying, “If there is the remotest possibility of it...let the attempt be made at whatever risk.” Georgiana represented Aylmer’s key to the spiritual, and now Aylmer represents Georgiana’s key to beauty. Aylmer and Georgiana want to fix the failures of their pasts and achieve their personal desires, and that is what drives them to remove the mark.
DeleteAylmer and Georgiana are now on the doorstep of removing the burdens of their past. Aylmer is now ready to once again try to find, and test, his spiritual knowledge because now he has a guide, Georgiana. When Georgiana was inside the lab, she asked Aylmer about the elixir of life. After hearing an explanation about the elixir, she asks if that’s what he will use on her. Aylmer responds saying, “”Oh, no,” hastily replied her husband; ''”this is merely superficial. Your case demands a remedy that shall go deeper.”" Aylmer now knows how to find his spiritual knowledge thanks to knowing Georgiana, and now all he needs to do is to test it. The fact that he knows what he is doing is further reiterated by the statement that he, “hastily,” responds. Another detail noting that they represent each other’s desires is when Georgiana has a sudden sensation to follow Aylmer while he was going back to create the elixir, as detailed by the narrator, “Georgiana felt irresistibly impelled to follow him.” Because of this, Georgiana hears from Aylmer that the experiment will have fatal consequences. She states that, “Danger? There is but one danger-that this horrible stigma shall be left upon my check!” This means that she feels death is worthwhile. But there is another reason she accepts her own death: love. One of the themes established in the story was that of love versus science. This is supported by the fact that in the opening sentences the narrator says, “He had left his laboratory to the care of an assistant...and washed the stain of acids from his fingers, and persuaded a beautiful woman to become his life.” The acid represents Aylmer’s science, and the fact that he washed his fingers before finding Georgiana signifies that the two are meant to be seperated. However, towards the end of the story, that changes. In the laboratory’s library, Georgiana reads some of Aylmer’s old records on his experiments. Though they were successful, the tone of the writing gave off the feeling that Aylmer was still failing. This was because he was never able to find the spiritual side of science and nature. Aylmer finds her and says, “Ah, wait for this one success...then worship me if you will.” In this moment, Georgiana finally realizes that she is the key to make Aylmer happy. That fact gives her the extra motivation to carry on with the experiment, despite its fatal consequences. By Georgiana giving herself to Aylmer, the love she has for her mixes with his science. Georgiana then carries on with the experiment, and as predicted, dies. Georgiana’s death allows for Aylmer to finally find enlightenment, and Georgiana is rid of the mark that made her so hideous, ending the control the birthmark had on them both.
ReplyDeleteThe Birthmark is a story about diving into the complexities of nature, and the consequences of messing with them. Because Aylmer lacked understanding of the spiritual, it resulted in the death of his wife. He messed with nature, and they both paid the price. Georgiana lost her life, and Aylmer lost his happiness. They wanted to remove the birthmark to remove their past failures, but in truth it served as a warning that some things should not be changed. Georgiana’s love for Aylmer allows her to
ReplyDeletego through with the experiment, which allows Aylmer’s science to let them both find happiness. At this moment, love and science come together. On the surface, The Birthmark looks like just a story of a man gone insane. In reality it is about love, nature, science, regrets, enlightenment, and happiness.
Tanner, I really like your essay! It is very logical and well supported. I like your use of quotes and how you tied them all together. Good job!
DeleteThat was a very very well written essay tanner. Your word choice throughout the essay was very good and you really mad the story make a lot more sense. Very well written essay tanner!!
DeleteIn Nathaniel Hawthrone’s “The Birthmark”, a scientist preforms an experiment that, in today’s world, would call his bioethical morals into question. This story is nothing but dark and gory, and it makes the readers question many things. The largest idea that one would question is the reasoning that Aylmer would even decide to preform this experiment.
ReplyDeleteThe story begins off by diving into who Aylmer, a famous scientist in just about every branch of science, is and how he had such a love for science. However, he a.so had a love for a woman, causing his science experiments to sometimes clash with his love life.
Originally, at the beginning of the story, Georgiana had no issue with the birthmark, rather she saw it as a charm. However, Aylmer appeared to have every issue with it calling it both a defect and an imperfection. Aylmer, all throughout the story, has hated it so it’s clear that he would want to do everything in his power to get rid of it. Through much listening, Georgiana comes to dislike the birthmark as well. To Aylmer, convincing his wife to do this surgery would lead to what he considers “the ultimate perfection” in mankind.
Finally, Aylmer’s reasoning for this experiment becomes even clearer. He wanted to be more connected spiritually and he believes that this experiment will help him reach that. He also thought that this experiment could “put him on the map” and make others realize that his career is as successful as others.
So while one may not be able to pick out one specific reasoning as to what drove Aylmer to preform this unethical experiment, there is evidence in the text that suggests why. However, in the end, his reasoning is within his mind and only makes sense to him, no one else.
This is a great essay Jackie! I thought it was really interesting how you included that part about how the experiment Aylmer did would call his bioethical morals into severe questioning in today’s world.
DeleteThis is a really god essay Jackie! I like the concluding sentence a lot. I think it sums up your points really well.
DeleteThis is a really good essay Jackie! I like how you bring out bioethical morals in the introduction. I like the point about the rivalry between love and science.
DeleteThe Birthmark is a narrative that tells the story of a scientist and his almost perfect wife. Aylmer, the scientist, wanted to perform an experiment on his wife because of a birthmark that made her imperfect to him. This story leaves the reader to question why Aylmer would risk performing a fatal experiment on the women he loves just to remove a birthmark. The Birthmark reveals that Aylmer’s reasoning is far more deep than just his wife’s, Georgiana, birthmark.
ReplyDeleteAylmer is a man who is obsessed with science and has a love for discovery. He has found great interest in science since he was very young and continues to do so in his adulthood. He realizes that marrying Georgiana will cause conflict with his science, so he must choose between them. Aylmer will have to dedicate his time to his wife rather than to science in his laboratory. Science gives Aylmer the potential to gain knowledge and spiritual power which drives his interest in it. His wife does not intrigue him as science does, so there will always be a rivalry between the two. Aylmer knows he should choose his wife and devote his life to her, but he knows he will never be able to truly extinguish his love for science.
Georgiana has a birthmark which has never caused any bother to her. She sees it as a charm and so do many other men, however some think it makes her unattractive. Aylmer is one of the men that see it as an imperfection and think that it takes away from her beauty. Aylmer slowly begins to despise the birthmark and becomes disgusted with Georgiana because of it. Aylmer’s obsession with the birthmark causes Georgiana to hate it as well. His interpretation of the birthmark is that it ruined something beautiful and he wants her to be perfect, so they decide to remove it. He conducts an experiment to remove the birthmark so that Georgiana can be perfect and he can still work on his science. Aylmer believes that if the birthmark is removed everything will be perfect and his love for Georgiana will grow stronger.
Aylmer continues on with his fatal experiment because he is obsessed with perfection and will do anything to obtain it. He believed that perfection was everything and if he obtained it his science career would flourish. Completing the experiment successfully would allow him to love his wife and science so he would no longer have to choose. Aylmer also continued the experiment because he hates his wife. Georgiana took him away from his true love, science, so instead of hating her he funnels his hatred to her birthmark. His obsession with perfection and science caused him to continue the experiment with little concern about the consequences. Aylmer lost his wife and his science career did not flourish like he had hoped. The entire experiment backfired on both Aylmer and Georgiana. Nothing is perfect for a reason.
This is great, Abby! I did find it interesting that you said that Aylmer hated Georgiana due to her distracting him from science. I mainly thought of it through the scope of Aylmer’s self-interest, but that makes a lot of sense.
DeleteThis is great Abby! I loved reading the points you made! It was very interesting!
DeleteAbby, I liked how you talked about the conflict of Alymer’s love for science and the love for his wife. I also agree that he loved science more than his wife.
DeleteNathaniel Hawthrones book, the birthmark, is a story about bioethical morals that the main character had. A scientist named Alymer started an experiment on his wife to rid her of an imperfect birthmark in her check. Alymer in this story, convinces Georgiana that her birthmark is hideous, he lets his obsession with science and perfection come in between him and his wife, and when he knows that getting rid of it could harm her but he continues.
ReplyDeleteThe story starts as a happy couple getting married and excited to start their life together. Alymer Marty’s Georgiana, a beautiful young woman who’s only flaw is a small birthmark on her cheek. Georgiana has always thought the birthmark was a type of charm and made her stand out from other women. This was until Alymer’s outward disgust with it. As the story says “In this manner, selecting it as a symbol of his wife’s liability to sin, sorrow, death, and decay”. His thoughts on the birthmark manipulates his wife into his obsession with perfection.
Alymer’s love for science and love for his wife causes an opposition in the story. He tried to push his love for science aside to make room in his life for his wife until he thought of the idea to combine the two things he loves; his wife and science. When he notices the imperfection he starts to become extremely obsessed with it. He is unable to let it go and his love for science takes over as he thinks of a way to remove it.
Alymer knew that the procedure would most likely kill her but he continued anyway. He was so obsessed with imperfection and wanted to compete with God that he was willing to risk his wife’s life. He understood the risks but still encouraged Georgiana to continue and even shamed her at the slightest of hesitation.
Alymer undertook this experiment knowing the risks, and letting science and the desire of perfection to compete with God to perform a dangerous experiment on his wife. His wife had perished because of the experiment and while the experiment did succeed to an extent his career did not further.
This is a really good essay Lani! I liked how you talked about how he was competing with God, I hadn’t really thought about it that way!
DeleteI really enjoyed reading through your essay Lani! I especially liked that you pointed out how the main source of opposition in the story was between his love for science and his love for his wife.
DeleteLani, I really like how you used the word obsession for Alymer’s love of science. This is the perfect description for this. I agree that the birthmark made her stand out.
DeleteGood essay, I liked how you tied in love and religion to the struggles going on inside Aylmer’s head. Overall, this is a pretty good essay. Nice job!
DeleteNathaniel Hawthorne’s, “The Birthmark,” was a story of many hidden details that deserve thorough investigation. It included some extremely interesting intentions as to why Aylmer would perform this dangerous experiment on his wife, Georgiana, to remove a birthmark. These intentions include his spiritual endeavors which involve perfection and a scientific career filled with countless failures.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons why Aylmer chose this is due to his desire for perfection and spirituality. For example, Aylmer says, “No, dearest Georgiana, you came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature that this slightest possible defect, which we hesitate whether to term a defect or a beauty, shocks me, as being the visible mark of earthly imperfection (paragraph 5).” This quote represents how important imperfection is to him and how much he wants to change it. Another quote that shows this is, “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 (paragraph 8).” This shows how Aylmer believed that even though only one little thing was not perfect, that was still keeping Georgiana from true spirituality. In other words, physical perfection and spirituality are directly linked to each other. Therefore, Aylmer’s thoughts on spirituality and his phobia of imperfection led to his experiment.
Aylmer also decided on this experiment, because he knew that his career was not successful. An example of this is, “Much as he had accomplished, she could not but observe that his most splendid successes were almost invariably failures…(paragraph 51).” This quote represents how even though he had some great findings, he still failed in other ways. Another quote says, “‘Ah, wait for this one success,’ rejoined he, ‘then worship me if you will (paragraph 55).’” This shows that Aylmer realizes his own shortcomings and that he truly believes that this experiment will change his legacy. He is also trying to prove others wrong, because everyone thinks that his science is useless and impossible. Moreover, his failed career encouraged him to perform this experiment.
Aylmer performed this experiment on Georgiana because of his belief in spirituality and physical perfection being interconnected and his unsuccessful scientific endeavors. So many of these details would be missed if not looked at closely, because they are hidden behind an incredibly questionable and interesting experiment.
I really liked this! I thought your use of direct quotes brought some good depth to your argument! Overall, well done!
DeleteGreat essay! Your use of evidence was very good! It touches on all aspects of your arguments and it brings out your points in a good way. Nice job
DeleteThings take a dramatic turn in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birthmark.” Just when you think you have the protagonist, Aymler, figured out the author throws you for a loop and you’re left questioning everything you thought you knew. The work is truly one of the best physiological thrillers of all time. However the question remains; why did Aymler go through with his deadly plan? If he was so in love with his wife why sacrifice her for the destruction of something as insignificant as a birthmark? The answer can be found once one takes the time to truly analyze the text. The story begins with the introduction of Aymler’s character, what kind of man he is and what he strives for. It’s easy to see that Aymler is a man of science who longs for answers. However as you continue to read, you begin to notice some strange details. Lines that l depict that Aymler longs for not only a connection to the physical world but also for a connection to the spiritual world as well. In fact this aspect of Aymler is so stressed it almost seems like the protagonist is obsessed with the notion of being one with the spiritual world. A man so obsessed with science would most definitely emerge in his studies alone right? Well not exactly. Surprisingly we learn that Aymler is married but he struggles to separate his work from his wife. So as a solution he combines the two. His wife knew of Aymler’s past excitements. How he hit his peak long ago and has failed to do anything spectacular since. To Aylmer these failures are devastatingly . Theyer what drove him to continue his work, obsessively looking for his next project until he found it in his wife. The special thing about his wife is that she has a small hand shaped birthmark on her left cheek. At first the mark doesn’t bother Aymler but as time goes on he grows to despise it. This hatred leads to an obsession with removing it. He convinces his wife to go through with his plans and as a result he knowingly kills her. His obsession with redeeming himself became too much and his wife dies as a result.
ReplyDeleteI like your essay a lot Tiff! The questioning within your essay makes it really interesting. This is really great!
DeleteLovely essay Tiff! I enjoyed your remark of how Aylmer needed not only physical but spiritual even though his knowledge of science consumes him.
DeleteGood work, Tiff! I liked how you said that Aylmer was ashamed of his scientific struggles and how his pursuit of perfection was fueled by his failure. I enjoyed reading this.
DeleteThe story “The Birthmark” tells the story of a man who loves science about anything else. He later falls in love with a woman who would later become his wife. Alymer tries to balance his love between science and his beautiful wife, but it could not be done. It all began with the birthmark on his wife’s face.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of the story, Georgina, Alymer’s wife, loves the birthmark on her face. She sees the birthmark as a charm. As the story continues on, Alymer starts to hate the birthmark on her face. He thinks that the birthmark is a defect. Georgina was a beautiful woman, but Alymer could not look past the small birthmark. Alymer also tells us that it is ugly and nobody likes it. As these words are going through Georgina’s mind, she starts to think differently about her birthmark. She starts to see herself differently. She finally decides that she needs to get it removed as soon as she can. As soon as the chance comes along, Alymer says that he can remove it. Georgina decides to go along with it.
This is when Alymer’s love for science starts to overtake the love for his wife. Alymer should be focused on the health of his wife, but all he is worried about is making her perfect. He also wants to find a way to remove the birthmark using science. He wanted to feel successful, and he also wanted to feel like he accomplished something important.
When the procedure started to get the birthmark removed, Alymer did not even realize that his wife was dying. All that he was thinking about was that he got rid of the birthmark. Her skin was getting so pale for the elixir that she took that you could not even see the birthmark on her face.
Alymer’s love of science got the better of him. He just wanted to make his wife perfect, and the only way that he thought he could do that was to get rid of the birthmark. He was able to accomplish this, but only by killing his wife.
Tami, I really like how you interpreted this story and how you deduced its meaning. I also like the context you gave. I think it helps strengthen your argument. Good job!
DeleteI really liked reading this! I liked how I can read the story again through how you described it. This was very well put together.
DeleteGood work Tami! Very well written and organized. I love your explanations and details about how Aylmer felt during the experiment with the removal of the birthmark. Very nice job!
DeleteIn Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark.” Aylmer, the protagonist, submits his wife to experimentation in an attempt to remove a hand-shaped birthmark on her cheek. Before the experimentation begins, Georgiana's attitude toward the birthmark drastically changes because of the obsession of her husband over it. Due to Aylmer’s nagging, she agrees.
ReplyDeleteAylmer is known for being well-renowned for his scientific achievement, especially in his youth. He is known as a man of science, and made many contributions to the scientific community within his youth; however, in recent years, his scientific achievements have been rather nonexistent. This can be seen in his journal, as well as in his attitude toward his work. It can also be seen in how he refers to the outcome of this experiment, his “one success.” From Georgiana's perspective, this would seem rather suspicious and would raise a variety of red flags, especially considering the fact the Aylmer is going to make her drink a suspicious potion.
Because of his recent failures, one could conclude that Aylmer did what he did in order to feel like his former self, a true man of science, or possibly even a shadow of his former success. The text also states that Aylmer took everything at face value, but also spiritualized it all. By analyzing this notion, one could determine that in order to complete his spirituality, Georgiana must be perfect physically. The only thing impeding this is the birthmark on her cheek; therefore, in order to feel satisfied with his life, she must look perfect.
Therefore, it can be concluded that Aylmer did what he did to feel satisfied with his wife, his life, and to feel like his younger self, rather than the failure he became. Sadly, this is not the outcome that occurred. Like his more recent experiments, this turned into a tragic loss. As a result of the experiment, Georgiana died.
Wonderful essay Alex! I liked your point of how Aylmer was attempting to feel like his old self again after recent failures. Georgiana’s perfection was also a great point as he needed that for his own spirituality.
Delete“The Birthmark” is a complicated story that turns from a love of husband and wife to a horrifying tale of science versus nature. The story is about a scientist named Aylmer who marries a woman named Georgiana who had a birthmark on her check. Aylmer wished to remove the mark by performing an experiment on Georgina. Aylmer begins his life as a husband retiring from his laboratory to spend time with his wife, but ultimately reveals his true love for science. This new lifestyle of Aylmer’s will turn out to be an obstacle for Aylmer’s relationship and profession.
ReplyDeleteAylmer’s career included discoveries in nature. His fascination with the elements and the process of life is a kindling to his obsession with the endless possibilities of nature. Nature creates an environment to foster mankind. Science has always been a way to escape reality. “…the philosopher should lay his hand on the secret of creative force and perhaps make new worlds for himself.” His new idea of creating worlds for himself led him to believe he could create one with science and his wife. His creativity sparked as he suggested removing the birthmark off of Georgiana’s cheek.
The Birthmark was one of either beauty or disgust. The mark’s resemblance to a small hand can suggest a bloody hand full of horror or the magic of a tiny fairy’s handprint. Aylmer developed a fixation upon this mark and ultimately thought of it as disgusting. “No, dearest Georgiana, you came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature that this slightest possible defect…being the visible mark of earthly imperfection.” Georgiana soon became embarrassed by the mark and even said she’d rather die than live with the mark on her cheek. Aylmer wished to make his wife perfect and even went through the experiment of removing it knowing the fatal consequences.
Aylmer mainly went through with the experiment because he was satisfied with the relationship between his wife and science. The experiment was a way to merge the two. Aylmer believed his investigations of nature could be found in this experiment. The text states, “…Aylmer resumed these half-forgotten investigations; not, of course, with such hopes or wishes as first suggested them; but because they involved much psychological truth and lay in the path of his proposed scheme for the treatment of Georgiana.” The treatment of his wife would find his answers to studies he needed to complete his study of nature; the studies of human life. These answers he’d always wanted were right in his laboratory, an experiment away with nothing holding him back. He used her as a science project and she mistook this as love.
Ultimately, the experiment that killed Georgiana was not thought through as Aylmer had his eyes on one thing: answers. Even before marrying Georgina, Aylmer had lost his identity within his profession. Science was his only purpose. He yearned for answers within his wife as he wished to intertwine both of his loves yet it was too late. The birthmark opened an opportunity to widen his intelligence and he became so deeply obsessed that his wife turned into a hideous sight. Georgiana’s life was taken away at the price of science as Aylmer lost himself in nature.
Great analysis, Hope! I enjoyed reading your take on things. My favorite part was where you explained how his marriage was doomed before it even began.
DeleteIn the story of “The Birthmark” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, a mad scientist uses his knowledge on his wife to examine his obsession with human perfection. Aylmer is the main character and protagonist in the story as the crazy, famous scientist and natural philosopher. He takes time off of his experiments and studies to marry his wife, Georgiana. She is a beautiful, intelligent, and caring woman who is physically and spiritually lovely, but Aylmer is intrigued by her “flaw” that he wants to remove, which is her birthmark. The birthmark can be visibly seen on her left check of her face. At first, Aylmer is in awe of the birthmark as it makes her even more visibly beautiful than any other girl, but after time, Aylmer gets tired off looking at it and wants to do everything in his power to get rid of the mark. Georgiana agrees to Aylmer’s proposal of an experiment for him to operate to fully remove the “charm” and that is when the “fatal experiment” begins to unfold.
ReplyDeleteNow Aylmer started think of this operation as more of an experiment rather than doing it as an act of his love for his wife Georgiana. As they were about to start, Georgiana was looking around his laboratory and she noticed a book that had all of his past experiments with his results inside. As she is looking through it, she see that all of his achievements always falls short of the original goals that he sets. This begins to worry Georgiana as she starts to question herself if she should still fall forward with the removal of her birthmark. She begins to think about how Aylmer refuses to love her as she is, insisting instead to create his own version of the wife he wants. As she is thinking this, Aylmer walks in and hands her a potion that he says will not fail and she drinks it and she begins to sleep. Aylmer begins to watch this process of healing as if it was one of his scientific experiments with the thought of nothing could go wrong.
After some time, the birthmark begins to fade away and is no longer visible and Georgiana looks the way that Aylmer wanted her to look. Georgiana wakes up and looks into the mirror states her final words before passing away. Aylmer's love and passion about science got the best of him as he had killed his wife in a failed experiment.
Great use of quotes in your text mason. Your quotes mad the story pop and made it very good. I like reading this very well done!
DeleteGood essay mason! It is neatly organized and I liked the conclusion paragraph. I liked how you explained her regret right before the experiment takes place.
DeleteThe birthmark is a cautionary tale about Aylmer and his wife Georgiana. He is scientist who goes on a spiritual journey seeking a greater power. Along this journey, Alymer finds himself caught up in obsession and wastes away his marriage seeking perfection. In the story, Alymer finds satisfaction only after his marriage is over. He ends up killing his wife. The story warns the reader that perfection is unreachable and satisfaction in the material world may only be recieved through sinful actions.
ReplyDeleteYoung Alymer had made great discoveries scientifically and knew he should be fulfilled in this aspect of his life. He decides to then work on his spiritual life. Georgiana is a beautiful woman that he then marries. He refers to her as his doorway to perfection spiritually. He asks to remove a birthmark on her cheek because he views it as the thing standing between them and spiritual perfection. An example of this in the text is, “In this manner, selecting it as the symbol of his wife's liability to sin, sorrow, decay, and death….” Alymer is a perfectionist and he wants for them to be perfect in order to be perfect in their religion. He feels the removal of this one birthmark will fix all of the other issues in their marriage.
Georgiana had never seen the birthmark as a blemish before. The narrator and Alymer’s assistant both describe it as a part of her beauty. They see that it blends into her features and enhances them. Alymer is unable to see it this way and becomes disgusted by it because he can not stop thinking of how much prettier she would be without it. Eventually, Georgiana just wants to please him and agrees to do anything to get rid of the birthmark.
Alymer makes it clear in the beginning of the passage that he does not see how his wife and their love could be more interesting than science. He feels science is boundless and has aspirations to make even greater discoveries. In comparison to science, he finds his wife shallow, boring, and predictable. His solution to this is to make her a part of his scientific journey, and he keeps telling himself that it is part of his spiritual journey. Using Georgiana as his subject for the human form, he goes about trying to discover the scientific answer to how humans, and all of creation, were formed. He does not find these answers, but he does create an elixir to heal her birthmark. This elixir ends up killing her, but Alymer is satisfied. This is a true example of the devil on Earth. It is like Adam and Eve going after the answers through that apple. Alymer tries to perfect his wife, but neglects himself. In his journey to become a more spiritual person, he becomes a terrible person.
Overall, Alymer chose to kill his wife because he was overtaken by his obsession with perfection. He resented her for taking his focus away from science. So, he tries to make her a part of his experiments to possibly love her. By telling himself he was seeking God, he justifies his evil intentions and actions. The birthmark is a symbol of his own flaws, not hers.
Everywhere it says Alymer is supposed to say Aylmer.
DeleteI liked this essay. You did a good job explaining all aspects of Aylmer’s intentions, and how it relates to his experiment.
DeleteThe Tower of Babel is a very well known Old Testament story where all the nations of the world come together as one and try to spite God. They said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” God then came down and scattered them across the face of the earth and confused their language. In “The Birthmark,” the wife of Alymer, Georginia, is the most beautiful human being Alymer has ever seen. However, she has one imperfection which is a birthmark on her cheek. Alymer is a very smart scientist. He wants to prove to himself and everyone else that he is the smartest of his time. He not only tried to play God but he tried to make something that was imperfect, perfect. Georgina did not try to talk him out of it but she was told to by her friends. Her friends realized that Alymer was going crazy over Georginas imperfection. Alymer tried to play God and lost the love of his life.
ReplyDelete“The Birthmark,” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, tells about Aylmer, an extremely determined scientist and natural philosopher who lived during the early-mid 1800s. To give some context, during this time period, science was booming with new ideas, some even miracle-like. Aylmer placed a lot of trust in science and philosophy. During his life, he became obsessed with perfection from his extreme love for science. This obsession consumed his everyday life, and nothing could separate Aylmer from his science and studies. This becomes evident by the end of the first paragraph, which also hints towards a potential rival to his obsession. However, Aylmer was so deeply invested in science, that having another priority would be impossible for him to maintain.
ReplyDeleteAylmer’s wife, who he loved dearly, was the clear candidate for the rival to his notorious obsession. Her name was Georgiana, a stunningly beautiful girl, who was born with a birthmark in the shape of a hand. She never thought twice about the birthmark, and even considered it a charm. Likewise, Aylmer was never bothered by the birthmark, until after their marriage. It started to become the only thing that he noticed about her. He began to hint to Georgiana that it should be removed, until he eventually just comes out and says it. He even claims that it is a sign of sin, death, and decay. Aylmer was obsessed with perfection, and wanted nothing more than for Georgiana’s “defect,” to be removed. He believed that this way she would be perfectly beautiful, because before, the mark was the only “bad” part about her.
Once Aylmer reveals these thoughts, it is clear to the audience that he possesses some sort of background issues that caused him to act this way. He seems to carry some narcissistic traits, as well as over-ambition, and setting unrealistic goals for himself. This ultimately leads to his new obsession, which combines both science and love, his two most important passions. His goal to make Georgiana perfect, gave him the idea of an ultimate success, both in the physical sciences, and spirituality. Aylmer didn’t really have a good objective reason to undertake this experiment, but that didn’t matter to him. It made sense in Aylmer’s head, as delusional as he was, and he carried on with it. He blinded himself from enjoying literally anything, by attempting to gain all things through his science. He let his obsession give him the idea that power and knowledge are achievable through science, even more so than love.
Great Work Tom! I really like your analysis on breaking down the whole story. I agree that he was obsessed with more with is love of science than his love for his wife. All in all, nice job!
ReplyDeleteWell written essay Tommy! I love the breakdown of the story and your word choice was flawless. It wasn’t as good as tanners but it was definitely good.
DeleteIn the Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birthmark" the protagonist Aylmer is a scientist in the 1800s. Aylmer was a very smart scientist who has a deep love for science as well. He knew almost everything there was to know about science. He had a wife who he also clammed to love very deeply. His wife Georgian has a birthmark on her cheek that looked like hand. Aylmer didn’t care about the birthmark before their marriag but after it was all he could think about or notice about her. The birthmark was her only flaw she was beautiful in every other way to Aylmer. As the story goes on you slowly figure out that he Is slowly falling more in love with the birthmark not her. He was so astounded by it that he had to know more about it and he had to figure it out. He talked her into letting do the experiment because he wanted to make her perfect. He didn’t have any good reason other then being so fascinated by it and wanting her to be perfect.
ReplyDeleteWow, great essay, Sienna Nelson! I love how you tie in the stressors of your busy life to make me feel bad for you, and then you explain the grave of WritePaper,Info and how it saved you. This essay was a great showcase of rhetoric, well done!
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