“You Have Rejected the Best Earth Could Offer: ” …and It Was Worth It
9 August 2012
“You have rejected the best earth could offer:” …and it was worth it
The short stories “The Birth-mark” and “The Artist of the Beautiful,” both written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1846, demonstrate and attempt to symbolize the boundaries of beauty in society. In “The Birth-mark,” the young and exquisite Georgiana has simply one imperfection, a red hand-shaped birth-mark on her cheek, which her husband, a prominent chemist by the name Aylmer desires to have removed. In “The Artist of the Beautiful” the young Owen Warland, former apprentice of Peter Hovenden, in his watch making shop, strongly encourages Owen to focus on the practical instead of the beautiful, in fear that his shop will fail as a result of Owen’s inattentiveness and obsession to detail. Georgiana and Owen, from “The Birth-mark” and “The Artist of the Beautiful” respectively, are both members of society who to some extent, sacrifice their preconceived notions of beauty as they yearn for the approval and admiration of those closest to them. This act ultimately leads to the demise of their efforts and the fruition of their submissive mindsets.
Preconceived notions of beauty In “The Birth-Mark,” Hawthorne portrays Georgiana as a gorgeous young lady who Aylmer, the arrogant chemist, persuaded her to marry. Soon after their marriage, in the midst of one of many transient stares, Aylmer expressed his contempt for his wife’s scarlet hand-shaped birth-mark, which was the only blemish of her immaculate complexion. Georgiana conceded that she had pondered over the birth-marks presence; however, she said the following as “She blushed deeply. ‘To tell you the truth, it has been so often called a charm, that I was simple enough to imagine it might be so’” (260). Georgiana charmed many; often her lovers were taken by the uniqueness of the slight imperfection of her skin. They claimed upon her birth that a fairy had touched Georgiana’s cheek with her hand, bestowing an everlasting magic which would
“You have rejected the best earth could offer:” …and it was worth it
The short stories “The Birth-mark” and “The Artist of the Beautiful,” both written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1846, demonstrate and attempt to symbolize the boundaries of beauty in society. In “The Birth-mark,” the young and exquisite Georgiana has simply one imperfection, a red hand-shaped birth-mark on her cheek, which her husband, a prominent chemist by the name Aylmer desires to have removed. In “The Artist of the Beautiful” the young Owen Warland, former apprentice of Peter Hovenden, in his watch making shop, strongly encourages Owen to focus on the practical instead of the beautiful, in fear that his shop will fail as a result of Owen’s inattentiveness and obsession to detail. Georgiana and Owen, from “The Birth-mark” and “The Artist of the Beautiful” respectively, are both members of society who to some extent, sacrifice their preconceived notions of beauty as they yearn for the approval and admiration of those closest to them. This act ultimately leads to the demise of their efforts and the fruition of their submissive mindsets.
Preconceived notions of beauty In “The Birth-Mark,” Hawthorne portrays Georgiana as a gorgeous young lady who Aylmer, the arrogant chemist, persuaded her to marry. Soon after their marriage, in the midst of one of many transient stares, Aylmer expressed his contempt for his wife’s scarlet hand-shaped birth-mark, which was the only blemish of her immaculate complexion. Georgiana conceded that she had pondered over the birth-marks presence; however, she said the following as “She blushed deeply. ‘To tell you the truth, it has been so often called a charm, that I was simple enough to imagine it might be so’” (260). Georgiana charmed many; often her lovers were taken by the uniqueness of the slight imperfection of her skin. They claimed upon her birth that a fairy had touched Georgiana’s cheek with her hand, bestowing an everlasting magic which would
Cited: Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “The Artist of the Beautiful.” Selected Tales and Sketches. New York: Penguin Classics, 1987. 358-85. Print. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “The Birth-mark.” Selected Tales and Sketches. New York: Penguin Classics, 1987. 259-78. Print.