http://www.articlemyriad.com/comparison-themes-birthmark-rappaccini-daughter/
This article talks about how Nathaniel Hawthorne's story, "The Birthmark" and another story of his ("Rappaccini's Daughter") both refer to his thoughts and opinions on attempting to correct nature with science. Hawthorne proves in his stories that trying to fix nature and its natural beauty is impossible, because when Alymer tries to 'perfect' Georgiana by trying to remove her birthmark she dies. A possible reasoning behind this is because if you are perfect you can no longer survive on earth, because perfection does not exist on earth.
I read something like this and think this is very interesting. It's weird how nothing on earth is perfect..at least not for long anyway. Love seems to be perfect like the way Aylmer first loved Georgianna, but even love fades. Aylmer no longer loved his wife after her birthmark took over his mind. Even things in nature are not perfect; otherwise there would be no hurricanes, floods, tornados, earth quakes, or other natural disasters.
ReplyDeleteThe birthmark story also examines the division between man's physical, earthly half and his lofty, spiritual half. This story also argues that part of us is necessarily earthbound, yet part of us want to always be perfect. To strive for perfection is to deny what makes us human.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.shmoop.com/birthmark/mortality-theme.html