Obsession in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Birthmark Essay Example

The “elixir of immortality,” chemistry and alchemy are to some people just science, but to Aylmer — it holds a greater meaning than love. “The Birthmark,” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1843, explores Aylmer’s, the protagonist, mad obsession with his wife’s birthmark. The intricacy of Georgiana’s crimson, hand-shaped birthmark drove Aylmer to madness as he attempted to figure out a scientifical solution to remove it. Although, he never noticed the birthmark before, the sight of it urged a deeper, intellectual awakening that completely ignored the meaning of inner beauty and human imperfection. Though, she had once believed she was beautiful, as plenty of other men had deemed her perfect until Aylmer’s perception of her changed. Her role in society, status and admiration for her husband allowed her to have trust in his science to operate on her physically knowing the risks of her expected death. Through a third person perspective, Nathaniel Hawthorne conveys how these themes of obsession and perfection can corrupt one’s judgement, in which it led to Aylmer’s inability to recognize Georgiana’s beauty and love for him.

Obsession is portrayed throughout the story through Aylmer’s relationship with science. His love for science surpassed his love for Georgiana; the birthmark was another opportunity for him to gain more knowledge and experiment with the “Elixir of Immortality.” Aylmer’s devotion to science blinded him of what truly matters for “… it was not unusual for the love of science to rival the love of woman, in its depth and absorbing energy.” In addition, the fear that the birthmark brought to the couple heightened as he “…looked cheerfully into her face… [and] that he could not restrain a strong convulsive shudder.” The boundaries between his wife and his craft blurred, in which he was not able to separate his relationship between his wife and his desire to have an everlasting knowledge of science. Although, he is perceived to be a genius, Georgiana finds that he has had as many failures as he has had successes. Aware of the risks, the obsession with the removal of the birthmark continues to haunt Aylmer and Georgiana, as he again failed to descry his detrimental decision to alter mortality and achieve perfection.

Georgiana was known for her beauty and grace, which was what first attracted Aylmer. However, the beauty of science may have been more captivating, as he “had made experience of a spiritual affinity, more attractive than any chemical one.” His desire to gain such perfection through his work had excited him to manipulate nature. In a way, he did not see himself flawed, but someone with a high superiority complex. With the ability of science, he craved perfection, a god-like sublimity as “the Crimson Hand expressed the ineludible gripe…degrading them into kindred with the lowest, and even with the very brutes, like whom their visible frames return to dust.” Their goal of perfection and divinity drove them mad, yet they lived and were married together before the birthmark became an annoyance. Unfortunately, for the couple, the “Crimson Hand” rendered as the exact opposite of beauty: a defect. Although Aylmer saw it as a “sin” and as a “frightful object,” like birthmarks, skin color, hair type, eyes and other physical features are what makes a unique and beautiful human being. He failed to appreciate the imperfections of being human and most importantly — the inner beauty and personality of his wife.

The relationship between Georgiana and Aylmer was fueled by attraction and status. It may have been a sort of unrequited love, as Georgiana’s made the effort to see her husband happy and well. Aylmer made it clear that Georgiana came secondary to science; his attention to his alchemy and chemistry was prioritized, yet his real relationship was between him and his wife. His vow to always love, cherish and protect her failed as he ordered her to “‘Drink, then, thou lofty creature!’... ‘There is no taint of imperfection on thy spirit. Thy sensible frame, too, shall soon be all perfect.’” As well, Georgiana failed to recognize corruption. Her character dwelled in her husband’s shadow, as his feelings were all she cared about. Her self-worth did not rely on what she believed, but on what Aylmer perceived of her, in which it is clear where her opinion stood in their relationship. Like many other women, they believed beauty influenced class and public connections, as some mocked and claimed her birthmark to be a “Bloody Hand,” which “destroyed the effect of Georgiana’s beauty, and rendered her countenance even hideous.” Yet, plenty of handsome men were desperate for her hand, complimenting her on her birthmark and observing it as part of her beauty. Though, it is ironic that the “Crimson Hand,” which was part of what gave the couple status, superiority and class, led to their downfall. Hawthorne emphasizes how physical beauty can become an obsession, just as how Aylmer’s obsession with science and knowledge can lead to destruction using the death of his wife. Even though he was successful in removing the birthmark, achieving his goal of perfection, Georgiana’s death symbolized his ignorance and selfishness.

Hawthorne displayed the consequences of obsession and perfection. In Aylmer’s perspective, he cared for Georgiana, yet he did not accept her for her true beauty and loving personality. She followed him in admiration, infatuated with the idea of being just the way Aylmer wished. His science, in which he had the highest of confidence in, failed to remove the birthmark and to keep her alive. Instead of planning a future with his wife, his attitude towards perfection and his yearning for wisdom held greater importance. As expected in life, being obsessively devoted to a hobby, a person or an object can obscure what truly is important, which in this case led to death.