The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne Essays -- English Literature

First Paper - The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne As human beings, we are NOT perfect! It is part of our nature to be flawed one way or another. But there are some who choose to believe the opposing view. The theme of Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "The Birthmark" is how humans fight forcefully against Nature for perfection. It is those humans who, eventually, learn that Nature cannot be changed or revised. Aylmer was a famous scientist and philosopher who achieved great wonders. All his life, he has made remarkable discoveries and won numerous awards. His life revolved around two deep passions - the love for Nature [perfection] and the love for his wife, Georgiana [imperfection]. He believes the world is perfect, but little does he realize his life is rather imperfect. Georgiana is a very beautiful woman who loved her husband dearly. She was indeed beautiful with the exception of one flaw - her birthmark. This single mark lied on her left white cheek that resembled the shape of a hand. This mark is known as the "crimson hand". Her beauty is imperfect because of this "fatal mark". Although this beauty mark hindered Georgiana's beauty in Aylmer's eyes, others don't see this point. Other people, such as Aminadab, feel that she is beautiful with or without the "fatal birthmark". Aylmer was always bothered by her birthmark. Everyday, he goes hysterical over his wife's birthmark. As a successful scientist who has accomplished anything and everything, he decides to remove Georgiana's "fatal mark". He mixes up a concoction which will remove her birthmark. He realizes that the concoction is dangerous, yet he proceeds with his task in hope to remove her "fatal mark". His potion, known as the "elixir o... ...is wife's life. Knowing that the concoction is dangerous, he proceeds with it instead of accepting his wife's beauty. He took his wife's beauty for granted and he paid for his consequences. In a sense, Nature is just like fate. It has been already set up and there is no point to try to change it. Nature cannot be changed and shouldn't be attempted to be changed. Of course, there are always consequences in trying to change something that has already been set up. The more one tries to alter Nature, the more they will hurt themselves and others around them. In another sense, Nature is like God. Nature is similar to God because it is a concept one must comprehend. Nobody can take the place of God and the same mentality should be understood for Nature as well. Nature cannot be changed nor can God be replaced. Nature and God are things one can just accept.