Georgiana's Mortality In 'The Birthmark' By Nathaniel Hawthorne

In “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, a birthmark is the cause of a beautiful woman’s death. Aylmer, a scientist, is married to a stunning woman named Georgiana, who happens to have a birthmark on her left cheek. This birthmark is a symbol of her mortality, which keeps her from being perfect. Others do not see a problem with her small blemish but Aylmer believes that he must make her perfect. A small hand shaped birthmark was placed on Georgiana’s left cheek. Georgiana never had a problem with her blemish, and others called it a charm. Other men that Georgiana had encountered were amazed by her birthmark, “Many a desperate swain would have risked life for the privilege of pressing his lips to the mysterious hand” (Hawthorne). Despite

Aylmer says, “No, dearest Georgiana, you came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature that this slightest possible defect, which we hesitate whether to term a defect or a beauty, shocks me, as being the visible mark of earthly imperfection” (Hawthorne,). When Aylmer first speaks of removing the birthmark, Georgiana’s feelings are hurt by his disgust of the mark. However, she decides that if it will make her husband happy with her then she will let him do whatever it takes to remove it. She says, "If there be the remotest possibility of it," continued Georgiana, "let the attempt be made at whatever risk” (Hawthorne,). Georgiana would rather die than live with the birthmark, “Either remove this dreadful hand, or take my wretched life” (Hawthorne,). Aylmer tries different experiments to remove the birthmark but nothing that he does seems to affect it in any way. Aylmer tries to make her comfortable by showing her, “Airy figures, absolutely bodiless ideas, and forms of unsubstantial beauty came and danced before her, imprinting their momentary footsteps on beams of light” (Hawthorne,). Aylmer even tries drawing a portrait of Georgiana on a piece of metal but when a small hand shaped birthmark appears in the picture he “…threw it into a jar of corrosive acid”

Aylmer says, “The concoction of the draught has been perfect," said he, in answer to Georgiana's look. “Unless all my science have deceived me, it cannot fail” (Hawthorne,). To prove to Georgiana how well it works he shows her how it removes the blotches from a geranium plant. Georgiana says, "There needed no proof," said Georgiana, quietly. "Give me the goblet I joyfully stake all upon your word” (Hawthorne,). Georgiana then drinks the potion and falls into a deep sleep. As she sleeps the birthmark began to disappear, “She remained not less pale than ever; but the birthmark with every breath that came and went, lost somewhat of its former distinctness”