The Birthmark Study Guide

The Birthmark

The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne

In the dark short story The Birthmark, a scientist, Aylmer, becomes obsessed with removing the small, hand-shaped birthmark on his wife Georgiana's cheek. He believes the mark interferes with her beauty, although others believe it makes her more beautiful. Aylmer takes Georgiana to his laboratory, where he's working on a cure for the mark. He ends up making a potion that removes it, but also kills her. The story offers a critique on striving to be perfect as a well as a warning about the dangers of dabbling with nature.

The Birthmark Book Notes

Filter Your Search Results: