Aylmer is a scientist who is dedicated to his work of skill more than anything. He is from a world of chemicals in a laboratory to a world of experimenting change for his wife. To Aylmer when he see flaws in someone he feels obligated to fix the problem. He has plans to marry a woman and make her a perfect human being in his eyes. Aylmer main goal is to keep making progress with science experiments. The wife Georgiana has been focusing on love for their marriage while Aylmer has been focusing on different alterations for his wife look.
Despite the transformation from the couple being in love in the first part of their marriage to not being please with each other because Aylmer is not satisfied with his wife appearance and the wife is not entertain by his comments. She is confused on why he married her in the first place. Although the focus is on science Aylmer will like to change his wife physical appearance to perfection. There is a close look at Georgiana natural beauty and spirit because she rather change her appearance for her husband and love than keep her true identity. The story describes the marriage of the scientist Aylmer to Georgiana, a young woman whose great beauty is blemished by a birthmark on her left cheek” (Miller 1). It seem like Aylmer only marry Georgiana so he could get the opportunity to change her appearance. The couple love for each other was put on a test because Aylmer wanted his wife to be able to look perfect. Their relationship transfer to the worse because science tend to perceive over nature. “Has it never occurred to you that the mark upon your cheek might be removed” (Hawthorne 304).
Aylmer seemed to think that the birthmark was hindering Georgiana so he wanted to come up with a solution to make her better. To Aylmer the only way to fix Georgiana imperfect ways he would have to use his science skills. “Many a desperate swain would have risked life for the privilege of pressing his lips to the mysterious hand” (Hawthorne 305). Aylmer might have a problem with looking at Georgiana birthmark but others did not see a problem with it. Some people seemed to think that the birthmark was attractive and unique.
Hawthorne’s short story “The Birthmark” reveals that science professional can tend to make mistakes that can lead to someone being affected in the long run. “Mistakes are bound to occur in the health field because the greatest practitioners are face with not having enough time” (Cooper 1). Rushing to get a task done can cause people to make numerous mistakes. It is sometimes better for science professional to take their time when it comes down to performing procedures because people lives are in their hands.
The love for science that Aylmer had led to a mistake that cause Georgiana to lose her life. “Waiting in the doctor’s office with several other human beings will more in likely cause a mishap with some patients medical results” (Cooper 1). Being around a crowd of people can sometimes cause chaotic problems and that can be a reason to obtain wrong information. “Human beings should take the initiative to be in control of their own health style and medical history” (Cooper 2). People have to know their health status for themselves. Having the best health equipment does not mean that people will receive the most accurate results regarding their health status” (Cooper 2). It do not take high tech machinery to get the correct diagnosis of a patient. The only thing that is needed to find a patient diagnosis is a traditional method from the professional. “Being able to know your kinfolk’s health information will allow you to have a better understanding of things” (Cooper 2).
In order for professionals to be able to give accurate information they are going to have to know as much information about the patients as possible. Patients should have the mindset to get to the bottom of their health status so they can be able to find out what is wrong with them (Cooper2). If a patient is having health related problem than they need to ask a science professional for guidance because their health should be top priority. Georgiana did not find Aylmer comments flattering because she would like for her husband to appreciate the way she look at all times. “The marriage of Aylmer and Georgiana initially indicates their unification, but the mark disrupts the unity of the couple and replaces Georgiana because the blemish” (Howard 134).
Georgiana feelings was crushed to pieces because to her she thinks Aylmer is stating that she looks horrible. She lost confidence in her looks and she also started to feel unattractive. “Danger is nothing to me; for life, while this hateful mark makes me the object of your horror and disgust, – life is a burden which I would fling down with joy” (Hawthorne 307). Georgiana will jeopardize her life so she can get the birthmark removed. To Georgiana life is not worth living because Aylmer is not satisfied with the way she look. She does not want Aylmer to feel hatred every time she look at her.
Georgiana was remembering overhearing Aylmer one night talking about her procedure that needs to take place in order to remove the birthmark. “Aylmer now remembered his dream” (Hawthorne 306). Aylmer had already vision a plan for the removal of Georgiana birthmark. “He had fancied himself with his servant Aminadab, attempting an operation for the removal of the birthmark; but the deeper went the knife, the deeper sank the hand, until at length its tiny grasp appeared to have caught hold of Georgiana’s heart” (Hawthorne 306).
When he was thinking about performing the procedure everything did not go as plan. The plan is to remove the birthmark not to press it in any farther than it is already. “Aylmer’s obsessive resolve to cut away the mark from Georgiana’s heart illustrates that it, not she, the woman whose life he is willing to sacrifice in order to satisfy his pride and alchemic pursuits, is the center of his existence and the object to which he unifies himself” (Howard 134). Aylmer was not trying to please Georgiana and make her feel better he was trying to make himself look good. Aylmer actions also communicate his need to protect himself and his dominant scholarly position” (Howard 135). Aylmer was selfish because he was trying to prove that science can fix anything. “Aylmer might be an experimenter but he is also a terrible experimenter” (Rosenberg 146). Aylmer passion was experimenting things but his experiments was not one hundred percent accurate. Everybody makes mistakes but when most people perform their talents they normally do a good job throughout.
People normally follow procedures when it comes to performing their passionate talents and that is the way they maintain a good reputation. Aylmer did not find ways to maintain a good reputation because his main focus was removing the birthmark he did not go over any consequences. “Aylmer’s disappointments increases from his misperception about life and substance” (Rosenberg 146). The procedure was a failure because Aylmer was concerned more about perfection and nobody is perfect. “Aylmer misinterpret Georgiana’s wrong doings and he makes the move to attempt to improve her but he destroys her instead” (Rosenberg 146).
Aylmer thought he was going to change Georgiana’s flaws into something better but instead he made thing worse. “Aylmer does not keep his marriage as one of his many possessions because he keeps aiming to become a widow” (Rosenberg 146). The couple marriage was short because Aylmer did not appreciate what he had as a wife. If he would have left the birthmark alone he would still have his wife. It is better to live with someone flaws than being alone. “Aylmer certainly did not pay any attention to Georgiana because he did not ave any clue about her medical status” (Rosenberg 147).
Aylmer nerve payed attention to Georgiana needs and wants because to him he was the only one that could have insight on things. Before Aylmer brought up his problem with the birthmark she was not having any problems with her birthmark. Deep inside Georgiana knew her birthmark needed to stay on her face in order for her to stay alive. “Georgiana was inform of Aylmer’s mistakes and she still allowed herself to respect him” (Rosenberg 147).
Aylmer did not love Georgiana flaws but Georgiana could see pass all of Aylmer flaws. Hawthorne seems to say that imperfection is a part of the human condition and we meddle with it at our peril” (Miller 1). Being inadequate is a part of life because everybody has faults. That is why people come together to help one another because everyone do not have the same talent. “Today, ordinary birthmark removal doesn’t threaten lives or raise ethical dilemmas” (Miller 1). People can now survive if they decide to get their birthmark remove. “Instead of grieving her demise, however, Aylmer lives in his brief moment of temporary triumph, disturbingly unaware of what he has wrought” (Miller 1).
Aylmer is trying to reflect on what went wrong with Georgiana procedure. Aylmer was a man who spent a lot of time doing science experiments. He made his science work very personal. He allowed his love for science take control of his love for his wife. Instead of asking how his wife feel about her birthmark he just bluntly tell her how he feels about it. Normally people marry people that they already think is perfect in their eyes. Unlike Aylmer he wanted to transition Georgiana to perfection after their marriage.
Georgiana did not see anything wrong with their marriage until Aylmer admitted that he recognize some of her flaws. Aylmer likes the idea of being able to control everything and being able to know about the work of science above everybody else. He allow the work of science to persuade him into becoming a harsh man. Georgiana is very devoted to Aylmer because she makes the initiative to consider his opinions about things. As a wife Georgiana believes that she should consider doing the things that Aylmer would like for her to do to make their marriage better.
