Student Essay on "The Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne

"The Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Essay

"The Birthmark" a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne begins with a scientist who finds a bride. This bride, Georgiana, has a birthmark on her face that Aylmer wants to remove. Aylmer believes the mark is a sign of imperfection on a beauty but Georgiana believes it to be a blessing. After time Georgiana asks her husband of his dream about the birthmark. The dream has Aylmer and his assistant removing the little hand print but the hand goes deeper until it has grabbed Georgiana's heart. She then says that if it will help others and their relationship then remove it with what ever risk. When the time came Aylmer secludes himself and Georgiana in his laboratory. Aylmer uses illusions as if he could control the spiritual world. The flower illusion is aborted due too much stimulus so he moved on to taking her portrait in his own way which failed too, only showing a blurred vision and the hand. After several hours of being gone Aylmer returned with the most beautiful fragrances and one poison. Georgiana turns through her husband's folio and begins to cry over all of his passion and loves Aylmer even more. She talks of dying and Aylmer pours a little bit of the liquid on a dying plant and it turned to life again. She drinks the clear liquid and goes into a deep sleep. The mark slowly disappears and Georgiana awakes but only to say that Aylmer has accomplished his goal but she is dying.