Symbolism In The Birthmark

Written in 1843, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “The Birthmark,” may be interpreted as a metaphorical representation of disability. The plot revolves around Aylmer, an alchemist, and his quest to rid Georgiana, his wife, of a facial birthmark. Aylmer’s crusade for the ideal female form ultimately results in Georgiana’s unfortunate demise. In the narrative, a tiny handprint-shaped birthmark graces Georgiana’s otherwise beautiful left cheek. Because it limits her activities and results in derogative treatment, the birthmark symbolizes disability and thus Georgiana represents the disabled. Meanwhile, Aylmer illustrates pro-normative, ableist society. That attached scene in particular manages to represent Georgiana’s fatal shift in perspective,

The scene in question opens with Georgiana asking Aylmer to recall if he had dreamt of the birthmark. Georgiana’s high self-consciousness and shame felt from Aylmer’s horrified stares motivates her to confront Aylmer. At first, Aylmer denies the suggestion but then decides to admit he had dreamt of it. Before Aylmer can reveal his nightmare, Georgiana expresses a desire to rid herself of the mark. In doing this, Georgiana describes the birthmark using negative terms such as “fatal birthmark” and “stain.” Prior to her request, Georgiana had described the birthmark as “a charm.” This shift in perspective is key to both the plot of the story and its implications for

When Georgiana declares “Either remove this hand or take my wretched life,” Hawthorne refers to the concept of “better off dead than disabled.” This misguided notion suggests that a life with a disability is not a life at all, and disability is an unwanted obligation to both the disabled and their family. Thus, those with a disability would be better off dead, as the burden of disability lifts.
Not only does Georgiana’s rhetoric depict how she subscribes to the opinion of “better off dead than disabled” but also shows how she falls victim to the medical model of disability. Georgiana refers to her imperfection as potentially “cureless” and demands he “remove” the flaw. Under the medical model, disability is seen as a pathology. If it is simply a pathology, disability not only has the potential to be cured but also must be cured. Additionally, the medical model’s goal of excising disability from society overlooks associated costs such as money and even