Question

Analyze the characters in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" and list their traits

Answer 1

Mr. Medbourne’s character is greedy. This is evident from the way in which he lived his life. He "had been a prosperous merchant, but had lost his all by a frantic speculation." Colonel Killigrew is gluttonous or lustful. He indulged in sinful pleasures, and his gluttony becomes more apparent after he consumes the elixir and begins to leer at the young widow. Mr. Gascoigne is pompous and loves to listen to himself speak. "Now he rattled forth full-throated sentences about patriotism, national glory, and the people's right; now he muttered some perilous stuff or other, in a sly and doubtful whisper." Widow Wycherly, who is transfixed by her own beauty when she becomes young again, is vain and can’t stop admiring herself in the mirror: "She thrust her face close to the glass, to see whether some long-remembered wrinkle or crow's foot had indeed vanished." Dr. Heidegger is shown as a wise old doctor who has lived a good life and is comfortable in his old age. He does not harbor any desire to repeat his youth.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

Dr. Heidegger: He is a mysterious character. Dr. Heidegger is a doctor, but he is also a philosopher interested in moral questions. We learn that he has many secrets, and that several of his patients have ended up dead. We also do not know the reasons for him to run this experiment.

The widow Wycherly: The widow is a woman who was beautiful before, but ruined her reputation because of her relationships with men. She is vain, loves attention and tries to entice men.

Mr. Medbourne: He is a greedy character who lost his fortune due to his ambition and his risky investments. He is obsessed with money and success.

Colonel Killigrew: The Colonel is a hedonist. He likes excess and pleasure, and he squandered his money pursuing this.

Mr. Gascoigne: Mr. Gascoigne's obsession is power. An ex-politician, he likes to control and command. His ideologies and opinions are unclear, but we learn that he desires power for power's sake.