Similarities And Symbols In The Birthmark By Nathaniel Hawthorne

Miranda Kellerhals
ENG: 13091
Fiction Analysis
8 April 2016
Symbols for Everyone In every story, poem, play, and movie symbolism is present. Symbols help the reader understand the story and their characters. Often times the symbols bring a deeper meaning to a story or poem. In The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorn there are many symbols that bring the reader to the deeper meaning of the story. This story is about a man and woman who get married. The woman is perfect except for the small birthmark on her cheek. Her husband tells her it is ugly causing her to feel ugly. She agrees to get it removed. The man is a scientist and makes an elixir to get rid of the birthmark. The serum kills the woman. The Birthmark has many symbols including, but not

Throughout the story Aylmer is describe in godlike terms, while Aminadab is described as crude (brute).The contrast between these two reveal the most apparent conflict between human imperfection and divine perfection. Aylmer is often made to be this conceited man who thinks he is the most amazing scientist in the world. “No king, on his guarded throne, could keep his life, if I, in my private station, should deem that the welfare of millions justified me in depriving him of it” (221). This excerpt from the story shows the reader that Aylmer thinks very highly of himself, and feels that he is the most important man. Aylmer believes that he could fix anything and everything with his potions. “Her husband tenderly kissed her cheek – her right cheek – not that which bore the impress of the Crimson Hand” (218). Clearly, dearest Aylmer is afraid of his wife’s imperfection. He is trying to compete with nature for perfection. This shows his most apparent hint to his divine way of thinking. To contradict Aylmer, Aminadab is the symbol for human imperfection. He is often described as shaggy and dirty. Aminadab is the only character who doesn’t seem to want to make Georgiana “perfect” (Walsh). “’Yes, master,’ answered Aminadab, looking intently at the lifeless form of Georgiana; and then he muttered to himself:- ‘If she were my wife, I’d never part with that birthmark.” (219). He can see the sadness inside Georgiana, but

This hand more or less represents the hand of god. “It needed but a glance, with peculiar expression that his face often wore, to change the roses of her cheeks into a deathlike paleness, amid which the Crimson Hand was brought strongly out, like a bas-relief of ruby on the whitest marble.” (217). There is a contrast between the birthmark and Georgiana’s face. The birthmark is red and her skin is white. The color red is a symbol of love and danger, while white is a symbol for purity and innocence. These color symbols go perfectly with Georgiana who loves (red) her husband and wants him to be happy, so she innocently (white) and sorrowfully agrees to get the mark removed. “’It is resolved, then,” said Georgiana, faintly smiling, ‘And, Aylmer, spare me not, though you should find the birthmark take refuge in my heart at last.” (218). The author allows these colors to overlap when he tells that her face turns the same red as the mark when she blushes. The overlapping of the colors suggests that there is barrier between the perfection and imperfection within Georgiana (humanity). To the narrator the mark makes Georgiana more beautiful. This contrasts with Aylmer’s view of the