What does Hawthorne think about "The Birthmark"? How does it describe Georgiana?

Essay by stephybabie001High School, 11th grade November 2006

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Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of "The Birthmark," is an incredibly talented writer. He is now mostly known for his short stories. He lived during the Puritan time which was when people were ruled by a theocracy. A theocracy is a government ruled by the religious leaders so many of his view were that of religion and how things were portrayed through that belief. His view upon women during that period of time influenced much of his work.

In the story, "The Birthmark," Hawthorne describes the characters in a very detailed manner. The first character is Aylmer, a scientist, whom gives up his love for science and replaces it with the love for his wife, Georgiana. Georgiana is a delightful woman, whom is considered "perfect " with the exception of a birthmark on her left cheek which is said to look like a "tiny crimson hand." Many women envy her for her beauty and countless men want her for themselves.

However, although her husband loves everything about her, he still thinks that the only thing keeping her from being perfect is the birthmark.

The birthmark is said to have appeared there because at her birth hour, a fairy laid her tiny hand upon her cheek, and left this impress there so that she could be the beautiful woman that she is. Her husband insists on the removal of the birthmark. She hesitates at first and is afraid of the thought. She doesn't mind it, but she doesn't want it if her husband doesn't like it. She actually likes it and knows that many envy her for it, but she would rather be loved fully by her husband than by anyone else.

So she tells her husband that if he wants to her can remove it, even if...