Science vs. Nature
Science vs. Nature
Throughout history, many people have often become wary of the steps science has taken, perhaps believing that man has taken on the power of God to control life and death, even to control nature itself. More recently, cloning and genetic selection have been seen as man trying to “play God” by creating or altering life. The short story “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is the tale of a man obsessed with science and power. His idea of perfection through science becomes a war against the power of nature. Aylmer, “a man of science”, has fallen in love with and married the beautiful Georgiana. She is a woman that Aylmer considers perfect...except for a small red birthmark on her cheek. This “imperfection” to an otherwise perfect woman soon turns into Aylmer’s obsession. He no longer sees her beauty when he looks at her, but only sees her flaws. In this story, Hawthorne demonstrates that taunting the power of Nature may have disastrous results. Aylmer sees Georgiana’s birthmark as an imperfection, something often found in nature. As stated in the story, “It was the fatal flaw of humanity which Nature, in one shape or another, stamps ineffaceably on all her productions, either to imply that they are temporary and finite; or that their perfection must be wrought by toil and pain”(Hawthorne 2). But perhaps this is not a blight, but a sign of uniqueness, that every creation under Nature is special. Many of Georgiana’s former suitors did not see it as an affliction, saying, “...some fairy...left this impress there in token of the magic endowments that were to give her such sway over all hearts. Many a desperate swain would have risked life for the privilege of pressing his lips to the mysterious hand [her birthmark]” (Hawthorne 1). Georgiana, herself, did not see it as an imperfection until Aylmer said it was so. As Georgiana stated in the story, “To tell you the truth it has been so often called a charm that I was
Throughout history, many people have often become wary of the steps science has taken, perhaps believing that man has taken on the power of God to control life and death, even to control nature itself. More recently, cloning and genetic selection have been seen as man trying to “play God” by creating or altering life. The short story “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is the tale of a man obsessed with science and power. His idea of perfection through science becomes a war against the power of nature. Aylmer, “a man of science”, has fallen in love with and married the beautiful Georgiana. She is a woman that Aylmer considers perfect...except for a small red birthmark on her cheek. This “imperfection” to an otherwise perfect woman soon turns into Aylmer’s obsession. He no longer sees her beauty when he looks at her, but only sees her flaws. In this story, Hawthorne demonstrates that taunting the power of Nature may have disastrous results. Aylmer sees Georgiana’s birthmark as an imperfection, something often found in nature. As stated in the story, “It was the fatal flaw of humanity which Nature, in one shape or another, stamps ineffaceably on all her productions, either to imply that they are temporary and finite; or that their perfection must be wrought by toil and pain”(Hawthorne 2). But perhaps this is not a blight, but a sign of uniqueness, that every creation under Nature is special. Many of Georgiana’s former suitors did not see it as an affliction, saying, “...some fairy...left this impress there in token of the magic endowments that were to give her such sway over all hearts. Many a desperate swain would have risked life for the privilege of pressing his lips to the mysterious hand [her birthmark]” (Hawthorne 1). Georgiana, herself, did not see it as an imperfection until Aylmer said it was so. As Georgiana stated in the story, “To tell you the truth it has been so often called a charm that I was
Cited: Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “The Birthmark.” The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008, 1-9. Print.