The Birthmark Analysis

In “The Birthmark,” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hawthorne expresses many themes to readers that appear within the short story. The main theme that occurs throughout the story derives from a request by one of the main characters. The fact that Aylmer says, “Georgiana, has it never occurred to you that the mark upon your cheek might be removed,” (Hawthorne 333) forcefully expresses that he wants his wife to remove the birthmark. As the process of removing a birthmark is challenging, Aylmer, being the scientist he is, believes that he is capable of doing the job. Over the course of the story, Aylmer and Georgiana go back and forth about whether it is safe or not to remove the birthmark. Later on, Georgiana finally allows her husband to start

the procedure on her because she does not want to disappoint him. Over the course of the story, the main reoccurring theme evolves around Aylmer wanting his wife to look better than she already does.
With the given detail about Aylmer wanting to make his wife flawless, it is obvious that he does not care much about what she thinks. When Aylmer asks her to remove the birthmark, she blushes, and says, “To tell you the truth, it has been so often called a charm that I was simple enough to imagine it might be so” (Hawthorne 334). From Georgiana’s response to Aylmer’s question regarding her birthmark, she would rather keep it, but deep down, she knows that her decision would disappoint her spouse; therefore, she gives in. Georgiana allows Aylmer to attempt to remove her birthmark using his very own creation. Georgiana states, “And, Aylmer, I shall quaff whatever draught you bring me; but it will be on the same principle that would induce me to take a dose of poison if offered by your hand” (Hawthorne 341). In this quote, Georgiana clarifies that she will do anything just to make her husband happy, which means she will allow him to do whatever he thinks is best for her. Later on, Georgiana notices that Aylmer has been making her breathe in some potion which causes her to feel out of place. This feeling causes her to question what is going on, and she knows that she can find an answer in Aylmer’s private library, where she goes to search. Georgiana notices that his accomplishments usually do not end up the way he plans them to, but the new information she find out does not cause her to change her mind. As Georgiana was disappointed when she realized how careless Aylmer’s experiments are, she still wants to give him another chance even though the next experiment will be done on her. This explains how Georgiana is not giving any input about whether she wants to keep the birthmark or not. She just follows along with what Aylmer wants to do.
Soon, Aylmer starts prepping for his experiment, keeping in mind that his wife is cautious because she knows about how successful his past experiments have been.

Georgiana later finds her husband working on the experiment. He makes her leave the room because he wants his privacy as he puts his focus on achieving his goal. When Aylmer is done, he brings Georgiana the mixture and claims that it will work. Explaining how confident he is in his potion, Aylmer says, “Know, then, that this crimson hand, superficial as it seems, has clutches its grasp into your being with a strength of which I had no previous perception. I have already administered agents powerful enough to do aught except to change your entire physical system. Only one thing remains to be tried. If that fails us we are ruined” (Hawthorne 341). This quote provides key information that proves how important this procedure is to the both of them. Before she drinks the mixture, he explains to her how it will remove the birthmark. When Georgiana becomes conscious again after consumption, she looks at herself in the mirror, and tells Aylmer that he should feel good about himself, “Do not repent that with so high and pure a feeling, you have rejected the best the earth could offer” (Hawthorne 343). In this quote, Georgiana describes that even though Aylmer was not happy with her real appearance, his decision to remove the birthmark should not be

regretted.
As Aylmer reached his goal, the experiment may not have been all that perfect because Georgiana passed away.

Hawthorne states, “As the last crimson tint of the birthmark – that sole token of human imperfection – faded from her cheek, the parting breath of the now perfect woman passed into the atmosphere, and her soul, lingering a moment near her husband, took its heavenward flight” (Hawthorne 343). Once Georgiana’s cheek was free of the birthmark, to Aylmer, she became perfect at that point, and then she vanished. The passion for flawlessness not only causes Georgiana to pass away, but also hurts Aylmer since his desire to make her perfect turns into him losing her. He failed many times before, and the changes he made to attempt to do better, still resulted in him failing. Aylmer was stuck on a small birthmark on her cheek instead of the good qualities she possessed. Aylmer clarifies to readers that Georgiana was already pretty, but he wanted her to look even better, and for that to happen, the birthmark had to

go.
After the death, Hawthorne describes Aylmer’s feelings by stating, “The momentary circumstance was too strong for him; he failed to look beyond the shadowy scope of time, and, living once for all in eternity, to find the perfect future in the present” (Hawthorne 343). Aylmer was too focused on looking ahead to the future rather than staying living life to the greatest in the present. He did not realize that his main focus could come with consequences nor did he try to find out. If Georgiana would have spoken her mind regarding the situation, the outcome could have turn out differently, but she was focused solely on one thing also, which was to make Aylmer happy.