The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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...

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...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.