Perfection in Hawthorne's The Birthmark

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is very much a product of this age of invention. Alymer may be a scientist or he may be a magician. One thing we know: he's in pursuit of control. He seeks dominance.
The story begins with a scientist who finds a bride. As the story opens the newly married couple is still making discoveries about one another. As a man of perfection, Alymer’s love for Georgiana and decision to marry her is based on the fact that she was nearly perfect. However, This bride, Georgiana, has a birthmark on her face that Aylmer wants to remove. Aylmer believes the mark is a sign of imperfection on a beauty but Georgiana believes it to be a blessing. After time Aylmer sees a dream and Georgiana asks her husband of his dream about the birthmark. The dream has Aylmer and his assistant removing the little hand print but the hand goes deeper until it has grabbed Georgiana's heart. She then says that if it will help others and their relationship, then remove it with what ever risk. When the right time ...

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with each other. “Aylmer represents Science, then Georgiana must represent Nature; indeed, even the prefix of her name, ‘Geo,’ suggests that she is of the earth.”(2) Georgiana is hardly complex and in fact, is an obedient, patient, and submissive woman. Aminadab is the assistant to his master and helps him with experiments. Aminidab does not appear to think on his own, and is so dedicated to helping Aylmer that Aminidab even calls him "master". “Aminadab is the savior of science in the story, being the "good" scientist – one aware of the outside world”.(3) He is a “ ‘natural’ and even beastly looking, like a ‘raw’ man, is a real man because he understands nature’s plan and says that ...

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