Feminism in “The Birth-mark”
I will share some analysis of different movies, short stories, book etc. with you from time to time. My first analysis is about Nathaniel Hawthorne's " The Birthmark" in terms of the feminist perspective. Let's begin, I hope you will enjoy it!
There is a dark Romantic story called “The Birth-mark” and its writer was Nathaniel Hawthorne. Nathaniel Hawthorne was one of the most significant writers in the antebellum period. That period was formed by Romantic writers and Hawthorne was one of them. He embraced nature and Romantic thoughts, so he reflected his opinions on his masterpieces. The romantic period was on nature and transcendentalist ideas. Firstly, writers were against materialism, moral collapse, and rationalism and they searched for human nature, beauty, virtues, and vices rather than earthly materials. However, Hawthorne approached this period from the dark side. He wrote on destructive forces of society and consequences in life like coming with oppression, injustice, sinfulness, abuse etc. He used both gothic and romantic elements like horror, fear, mystery, darkness, and death. His story called “The Birth-mark” quiet has gothic elements. Hawthorne’s characters are rather vivid especially; female characters and also in the story, there are some remarkable points about a female character.
In the story, there is a couple; man’s name is Aylmer and the woman’s name is Georgiana. Aylmer is a scientist and he devotes himself scientific studies. Georgiana is his young beautiful and pretty wife. Aylmer loves her too but his priority is his work. Georgina has a defect and in her husband’s eye, she is not the perfect woman. So, Aylmer tries to cut off it but at the end of the story, both she and the mark has gone.
Firstly, Aylmer is a young beautiful woman according to Hawthorne’s depiction. However, her husband does not like her when he recognizes her birth-mark. He searches for gaining her perfection with a cutting off the mark. In the story’s period, women did not have the power to work, talk and educate. Because of that, Georgiana does not have confidence, and she starts being afraid and wants to be a perfect woman for her husband. Georgiana is an obedient, submissive woman. She trusts her husband and she does whatever her husband says and wants. Women called her mark as Bloody Hand because its shape like pigmy hand and it has hue of red. Its color changes according to her emotions. Anyway, on the other hand, men see it as it makes her more attractive, charming, except her husband. Aylmer is so obsessed with that he has dreamed of it and he wants to cut it off from her face. Georgiana herself also hates from her mark thanks to her husband and her environment. Firstly, they think to cut it off with an operation but then they suppose that it can form any fatal defect rather than crimson hand. They do not think a woman as a person, they only focus on the mark and get rid of it no matter what. Then, Aylmer makes up Elixir of Immortality. Before that Aylmer tries some potions on his wife without her permission and they do not effect on her. In the end, Georgiana drinks the made-up potion and both her and flaw has gone. Even though Aylmer is a scientist, which he is an educated man, he cannot prevent himself from thinking with emotions, not with logic. Georgiana thinks that her husband is a scientist and can find a way to cut off it, so she trusts him blindfolded.
She does not care herself, she just focuses on her husband wishes. She gives permission her husband to use her as an experimental object. Aylmer does not give priority to his wife, his priority is always science. The mark becomes an obsession for Aylmer and he tries to get rid of without considering his wife’s emotions and thoughts. So, he gets rid of it but of course, he loses his wife.
So, from this story and from the feminist perspective, we see that women were objects and used by men whatever they wanted. Women did not have a will or freedom, they were always depending on men and men stuff. Women did not have any words on their body like Georgiana. They wanted us to be perfect for their own pleasure. Actually, "Birthmark" is a multilayer story and it is just one of the perspectives. I advise you to read this story and please share your comments with me! :)
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