Question

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birthmark,"

One day soon after their marriage, Aylmer sat gazing at his wife with a growing concern that eventually prompted him to speak. "Georgiana," he said, "has it never occurred to you that the mark upon your cheek might be removed?" She responded, "No, indeed," with a smile. However, sensing the gravity of his manner, she blushed deeply and admitted, "To tell you the truth, it has been so often called a charm that I was simple enough to imagine it might be so." Aylmer, in response, expressed that on another face, it might be possible, but not on hers. He conveyed that Georgiana came so nearly perfect from the hand of nature that this slightest possible defect, whether termed a defect or a beauty, shocked him as a visible mark of earthly imperfection. Georgiana, hurt by his words, exclaimed, "Shocks you, my husband!" At first reddening with momentary anger, she then burst into tears, questioning why he took her from her mother's side if he couldn't love what shocks him. To understand this conversation, it is essential to note that in the center of Georgiana's left cheek, there was a singular mark, deeply interwoven with the texture and substance of her face. In the usual state of her complexion—a healthy though delicate bloom—the mark wore a tint of deeper crimson, imperfectly defining its shape amid the surrounding rosiness. When she blushed, it became more indistinct and vanished amid the rush of blood that bathed the whole cheek with its brilliant glow. Yet, any shifting motion causing her to turn pale revealed the mark again, a crimson stain upon the snow, bearing a shape somewhat similar to the human hand, though of the smallest pygmy size. Georgiana's lovers speculated that a fairy, at her birth hour, had laid her tiny hand upon the infant's cheek, leaving this impress as a token of the magic endowments that were to give her such.

What does Aylmer suggest about Georgiana's birthmark in Nathaniel Hawthorne's story?
a. It could be removed
b. It is a charm
c. It is a defect
d. It is a beauty

Answer 1

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Birthmark', Aylmer views Georgiana's birthmark as a defect, an intolerable flaw on her near-perfect being. His obsession with her perceived imperfection drives the plot to its tragic conclusion.option c is correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Birthmark, Aylmer suggests that Georgiana's birthmark could be a defect. Despite its perception by others as a charm or a beauty, Aylmer is deeply disturbed by the birthmark. He sees his wife as nearly perfect and believes that the mark is a shocking sign of human imperfection on her otherwise flawless appearance.

This singular mark, a crimson stain shaped like a tiny hand, is deeply interwoven with the substance of Georgiana's face, affecting her deeply both physically and emotionally.Even before his marriage, Aylmer had not paid much attention to the birthmark, but after marrying Georgiana, he becomes obsessed with it, perceiving it as a fatal flaw that must be removed, even though such a procedure might pose significant risks.

The birthmark is intertwined with the story's themes of obsession, imperfection, and the pursuit of unattainable ideals. Ultimately, Aylmer's obsession with perfection leads to tragic consequences when the removal of Georgiana's birthmark results in her death, signifying the dangerous consequences of man's hubris and the folly of attempting to challenge the natural order.