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Leticia Rivera
Dr.Jane Lee
English 305
March 3, 2014
The Birthmark
Hawthorne's short story, The Birthmark," is a tale that examines the impossibility to aim
for things beyond ones' reach. Hawthorne develops a static and flat character in Alymer, who
remains obsessed and interested in his control over nature, even at the risk of how own wife's
life. In Alymer's hubris trait, Hawthorne examines the inevitable of what nature has created. He
enhances this study by using the symbol of the birthmark, which is Alymer's obsession to
remove, and represents nature being uncontrollably rectified. Finally, in the climax of the story
where the birthmark is removed, Hawthorne brings to the reader an unexpected outcome of
Alymer's attempt to perfection.
Alymer obsesses to remove the birthmark from his wife's face to make her perfect, yet he
has no control over natures mistakes in which he can correct himself. Alymer's quest for
experimentation was planned revealing his interest in changing what is already there." I have
already given this matter the deeper thought, which might almost have enlightened me to create a
being less perfect than you. Georgina, you have led me deeper than ever into the heart of science.
I feel fully myself competent to render this dear cheek as faultless as its fellow; and then, most
beloved what will be my triumph when I shall have corrected what Nature left imperfect, in her
fairest work!"(307)
Here, Alymer begins by assuring his wife that he has the capability to change what nature has left
by mistake, convinced of the perfect practicability of the birthmark's removal. At this moment,
Alymer is aiming to high for the impossible. He doesn't embrace nature as it really is and is

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emphasized by what he can accomplish by his own power. Hawthorne shows that Alymer is
known for his famous work and brilliance, leads him to constantly go beyond reach without
questioning failure. Being more concerned about his own obsession to remove the birthmark and
to be known for his work, he only focuses on his future success. "To make up for this abortive
experiment, he proposed to take her by rays of light striking upon a polished plate of metal.
Georgina assented; but on looking at the result was affrighted to find the features of the portrait
blurred and indefinable; while the minute figure of a hand appeared where the cheek should had
been. Alymer snatched the metallic plate and threw it into a jar of corrosive acid. Soon however,
he forgot these mortifying failures"(309,310). Alymer's experimentation involves failure but he
cannot seem to accept them. He doesn't learn from them, instead, he ignores his failures and
continues to work so he gains the power he doesn't have to make his experiment work.
Hawthorne shows us that most of Alymer's successes were almost invariably failures compared
to the idea of which he aimed.
The birthmark represents nature not being controlled. Alymer's expectations to remove
what nature had placed in the face of Georgina's failed. "Ah, clod ah, earthly mass! cried
Alymer, laughing in a sort of frenzy, " you have served me wild matter and spirit-earth and
heaven-have both done their part in this! Laugh, thing of the senses. You have earned the right to
laugh"(315). Here, Alymer is laughing at nature. At this moment, Hawthorne implicates that a
man can control Mother Nature and that Alymer's experiment was starting to work. He had
reached for the impossible realizing moments after, his wife was dying. His obsession of
perfection had only been successful in death.

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Overall Hawthorne develops Alymer as a flat character that risks his wife's life to change
what nature has created. Alymer's obsession lead him to lose focus on the future rather than
appreciation the present. Alymer emphasis is on making his wife into his ideal women, changing
what cannot be undone. In the end, Hawthorne does a wonderful job at showing us that reaching
for the impossible is out of our control and that it Alymer's case it was only possible in death.
The death of Georgiana's is the consequence of trying to aim for things beyond ones' reach.