The focal point of the narrative is a tiny, pink blemish on Georgiana’s face that resembles a hand. There are several possible interpretations of this sign, all of which can be used concurrently. Plants are another symbol in the story that shows the significance of nature. A discussion below will be dedicated to the exploration of these symbols in The Birth-Mark.
In some ways, Aylmer views the birthmark as a representation of vice and moral decay. He envisions it to be engraved not just on his wife’s flesh but also on her heart, suggesting a meaning that goes beyond her outward look. Aylmer is unaware, though, that despite being a fault, Georgiana’s birthmark links her to the actual, material realm. The mark enables her to stay alive in the terrestrial world as her one sign of human imperfection (Hawthorne 7). She dies when it is taken away because she gets too flawless for the reality of fallible people.
The palm-shaped birthmark also serves as a recall that Georgiana is a person made by nature and will eventually pass away. Aylmer’s concern over the birthmark reveals his overall fear of death, mainly because it equalizes everybody. When Georgiana, his nearly flawless wife, is laid to rest, she, too, will be no greater than anybody else. According to this view, Georgiana’s goal to become eternal can also be a pursuit – an unattainable mission – to erase Aylmer’s mark, which is, in reality, the primary fault that nature puts on all of her creatures.
The birthmark might also be seen as a reference to 1 Peter 1:19, which states that the devout are delivered from their misdeeds by the blood of Jesus Christ, like the blood of a sheep without defect or stain. Georgiana is practically sacrificing herself for Aylmer’s pleasure since she is completely prepared to die for his quest for perfection. She turns Christlike, based on this Bible scripture, when Aylmer removes the birthmark, making her a person without imperfections, and she, therefore, represents the ideal sacrifice, like Him, to apologize for Aylmer’s own transgressions in trying to control God’s creatures.
Two times, Aylmer employs plants to illustrate scientific concepts; both times, the plants stand in for Georgiana and hint at how the experimentation may affect her. Georgiana is shown a plant by Aylmer that blossoms and flourishes right before her sight (Hawthorne 11). He advises her to gather the bloom now because it will soon pass away. She attempts to pick it, but the plant dies as she does. The bloom is flawless, just like Georgiana, and because of Aylmer’s influence, it withers away too soon. The flowers not only hint at Georgiana’s demise but also highlight how important nature is to the narrative.
Aylmer later has Georgiana swallow the liquid after pouring it over a sick plant. Just like it removed Georgiana’s birthmark, the fluid also lightens the plant’s blemishes. Aylmer’s mishandling of the plants, which are creations of nature, is a reflection of his failed effort to change how nature created his wife. Hence, in the context given, the reappearance of the symbol gives a different perspective on the essence of nature, strengthening the story’s message and enriching a reader’s understanding of it.
Thus, the above discussion explored the symbols present in The Birth-Mark. It was found that the birthmark and plants provide the story with a great extent of diverse meanings, allowing the reader to understand the message in detail. Hawthorne masterfully uses these symbols to develop his ideas and enrich the narration.
Work Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Birth-Mark. Feedbooks, 1843. Secretaia Da Educacao, Web.