Aylmers Struggle for Perfection in Nathaniel Hawthomes,...

Aylmers Struggle for Perfection in Nathaniel Hawthomes, The Birthmark Aylmers struggle for scientific perfection transcends human possibility in Nathaniel Hawthomes The Birthmark. He attempts to perfect that which nature rendered imperfect. When the quest for human achievement opposes divine design it has no chance of succeeding. This key element in Aylmers twisted love leads to the demise of what he seeks so desperately to perfect, his beautiful wife. Georgiannas fatal flaw of humanity (Hawthorne 167), the birthmark, blocks her from perfection in his eyes, and thus blemishes Aylmers prideful ideals. Her alleged inferiority to science leads to her death and Aylmers complete failure as both a scientist and a spouse.†¦show more content†¦in what Aylmer deemed an almost fearful distinctness (166). Aylmers fearful distinction shows how utterly engrossing and preoccupying his feelings of hatred for the mark had become. Many admire the mark as a distinction of Georgiannas innate beauty and uniqueness. Some, however, deem it the very mark that comp letely obliterates all semblance of her beauty by claiming that the birthmark quite destroyed the effect of Georgiannas beauty (166). Aylmer represents the latter group. Most, however, if they did not adore it ... contented themselves with wishing it away so that the world might possess one living specimen of ideal loveliness without the semblance of a flaw (166). Aylmer proceeds much farther than this by completely eradicating the birthmark and killing his wife. The conflict between Aylmers love of science and love for Georgianna leads to her tragic death. The birthmark continually taints his ideal love of woman. As far as Aylmer is concerned, the only thing that keeps Georgianna from perfection is the birthmark; ... seeing her otherwise so perfect, he found this one defect grow more and more intolerable... (167). This man, intrinsically scientific, would not deem it necessary to attempt perfection if he did not possess a love for and deep attachment to science: ... had Aylmer not been a scientist, a daring experimenter, the birthmark on his wifes cheek would hardly have come to obsess him (Brooks and