Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birthmark"

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Nathaniel Hawthorne lived at a time when science was viewed with equal parts awe and suspicion. Hawthorne was, in fact the descendant of a Protestant minister which may have led to the cautionary tone of his works when writing of science. The paper examines how this cautionary tone is evident in "The Birthmark" and is made apparent by Hawthorne's use of symbolism in the story.

From the Paper:

"The birthmark in question is a tiny strawberry mark in the shape of a "singular mark" that "bore not a little similarity to a human hand" (Hawthorne 3). Hawthorne's narrator suggests that this tiny hand was a fairy mark. However, given that the union between Aylmer and Georgiana was deemed a spiritual one and that the mark was "deeply interwoven [. . .] with the texture and substance of her face" the power behind that hand would seem to be a much greater one indeed."

More papers on Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birthmark":

• Analytical Essay # 2357 : "Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne"
• Analytical Essay # 71087 : "The Birthmark" and "Rappaccini's Daughter"
• Comparison Essay # 71164 : "Frankenstein" and "The Birthmark"

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