Literary Devices in The Birthmark: Analysis of Symbolism

Introduction: What is art if not the practice of expressing simple truths in language that is anything but simple? Symbols are powerful literary devices that not only give narratives meaning but also make them relevant to readers by representing relatable abstract concepts. This is precisely what Nathaniel Hawthorne achieves in The Birthmark. Background: This short story follows one brilliant scientist Aylmer whose obsession for perfection sways him from his path as an objective researcher. He uses his wife Georgiana as a subject in an experiment born of this obsession to disastrous results. Thesis statement: By exploring themes of mortality, science, and the natural order, Hawthorne succeeds in using symbolism to demonstrate why it is important to respect nature and not be overzealous as it only delays the inevitable and leads us to cause more harm than before. 

Topic sentence: The Birthmark’s most conspicuous and obvious symbol is Georgiana’s hand-shaped birthmark on her cheek, which symbolizes mortality. This is the only imperfection that “ruins” an otherwise flawless beauty — at least in the eyes of her husband, Aylmer. It, in the words of the narrator, “rendered her countenance even hideous.” Evidence & citing: Other men admire the birthmark, as it accentuates Georgiana’s beauty. For Aylmer, it is a source of restlessness and intrigue. It is a “sole token of human imperfection”. Commentary: For much of the narrative, he becomes obsessed with removing it. His past scientific perseverance fuels his fixation with this. In the end, Aylmer does succeed at removing his wife’s birthmark, but Georgiana loses her life in the process. The birthmark therefore represents the mortality of humankind. Everyone has a flaw, be it physical or otherwise; it is what makes humans “normal”. Following Aylmer’s discovery of the “cure” to Georgiana’s birthmark, the pink mark disappeares gradually, perfectly matching Georgiana’s health. The more the mark fades, the more her health wanes. At that stage of death, Georgiana is no longer a mortal; she is too perfect to be a mortal and thus is not supposed to be amongst mortals. In other words, the birthmark is an accurate representation of man’s constantly seeking to avoid the blemished nature of being alive and one day dying. Georgiana not only knows this but accepts it gracefully when she says “…methinks I am of all mortals the most fit to die” (Hawthorne). Death is an inevitable occurrence, one that Aylmer detests. In his own words to Georgiana, “You are fit for heaven without testing death!” The scientist believes in reversing the law of nature, a belief that costs him his wife; in his attempts to reach perfection, he discovers that only the dead are, in a sense, without fault.

Another equally important symbol that drives the narrative of Hawthorne’s The Birthmark is Aylmer’s laboratory plants, which represent the natural order of the world we live in. Aylmer is intent on reversing one of nature’s inevitable occurrences: death. Evidence & citing: When Aylmer shows Georgiana one of the plants in his laboratory, she is impressed and wants to caress and hold it, a request which Aylmer grants willingly. No sooner does Georgiana pluck the petal of the flower that the whole plant begins to wither. A similar result, albeit in the opposite direction, is seen with the geranium plant, where upon pouring a “curing” liquid on its roots, it sprouts to a “living verdure.” Aylmer’s treatment of his experimental plants mirrors his own belief in the capabilities of science — that it is possible to tinker with natural processes in ways that further personal interests. It can also be argued to extrapolate a future occurrence, positive or otherwise. In the first example, Georgiana plucking the plant with Aylmer’s permission causes it to wither to death. In the second example, a favorable outcome ensures when Aylmer treats the geranium plant. Through these examples, Hawthorne heralds a society where the grandiose attempt of science at making our lives easy is a recipe for disaster because it corrupts the way nature works. Scientists such as Aylmer might achieve encouraging results in so doing, but it is the potential drawbacks of such over ambition which take precedence.  

Conclusion paragraph: Hawthorne’s message in The Birthmark is that it is foolish to dream about altering nature through science, and it is even more foolish to act on that dream. Aylmer has an intelligent mind, one capable of achieving great scientific feats, as evident by his plant experiments. However, despite that capability, he fails to see the limit beyond which his intellectual ability cannot pass. Perfection is an exclusivity of heaven and cannot be found here on earth. Aylmer believes his scientific knowledge can offer a way around this and ruins the life of an innocent person to satisfy this ambition. Georgiana is a confident lass who is contented with her beauty until her husband suggests that is not enough. Part of what makes us mortal is that we are imperfect, and there is a silver lining in that no matter what science and its proponents claim. 

Work Cited

• Hawthorne, Nathaniel. 'The Birthmark.' Mosses from an Old Manse and Other Stories. 1846, edited by Charles Keller, Project Gutenberg, 2008.