Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Birthmark (Point Of View Essay)

2 Pages 419 Words

The Birthmark

Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote The Birthmark in the 3rd person omniscient point of view in order to clearly illustrate the story’s theme, which is the protagonist’s, Aylmer, inability to deal with his wife’s imperfection, a small birthmark on her cheek. Hawthorne uses Aylmer’s insecurity as an example of how a person’s pursuit of perfection is not only impossible, but in some cases, destructive. Hawthorne wants the reader to understand that the individual should learn to deal with and adjust to other people’s imperfections, not other way around. Hawthorne also wants the reader to realize that a person can only find the truth if they learn to accept other people’s shortcomings, as well as their own. Failing to do this and trying to mold people into what they want is not only wrong, but shallow.
Aylmer is a scientist who stops his study when he fell in love and married his wife, Georgiana. She has a birthmark on her right cheek described as a “Crimson Hand”. Georgiana is very beautiful, but Aylmer becomes obsessed with the birthmark and eventually is “repulsed at the sight of her.” He is completely absorbed with his wife’s birthmark and it begins to have a negative effect on their relationship “With the morning twilight, Aylmer opened his eyes to his wife’s face, and recognized the imperfection; and when they sat together at the evening hearth, his eyes wandered stealthily to her cheek…” The reader is informed that the birthmark is not repulsive, but is very small. In the beginning of the story the reader is told that men still find her attractive and that women try to use the birthmark against her because she is so beautiful. Aylmer’s displeasure is to much and Georgiana finally gives into her husband and agrees to allow her husband to attempt to remove the birthmar!
k. “If there be the remotest possibility of it, let the attempt be made, at whatever risk. Danger is nothing to me; for ...