Modern Relevance of “The Birthmark”

Modern Relevance of The Birthmark The Birthmark is a fictionalization created by Hawthorne that conveys his viewpoint towards the use of science to fight the laws of nature. The f competent in like manner includes commentary on the depiction of men and women in society, along with their presumed roles. some(prenominal) of these themes in my opinion are even more relevant straightaway than when the story was written. Hawthorne disapproves of science used as a tool to potter with living beings, for they are not meant to be perfect.This is illustrated in Georgianas finish after Aylmer attempts to experiment on her As the last crimson trace of the birthmarkthat sole token of human imperfectionfaded from her cheek, the function breath of the now perfect woman passed into the atmosphere. The implied moral is that attempting to contradict what is originally intended is unethical and will lead to disastrous results. Hawthorne uses the caseful Aylmer to exemplify the people who abus e science as a operator to control nature.In modern sciences, controlling nature has become the essence of the medical examination field, progressing to the extreme of cheating death. Hawthornes opinion is echoed in the controversies today regarding methods such as stem cell research or cloning, as coarse arguments point to its immorality and the eventual disaster. The story is an exaggeration that was intended to be almost humorous, although I believe Hawthorne must pick up had the notion that his apprehension would someday become commonly practiced and even encouraged. The Birthmark at a glance might appear to be supporting the unimaginative gender roles of the era. Hawthorne portrays Aylmer as the pragmatic husband and leader, while Georgiana is his complement as the obedient wife. How ever I believe Hawthorne is using satire to intimate just the opposite. Georgiana is deemed to be Aylmers intellectual equal as she was able to read through his experiments and understand h is successes and failures.She also understands Aylmers greatest flaw, which he himself can never comprehend, and that is his doomed strive for perfection With her whole timber she prayed that, for a single outcome, she might satisfy his highest and deepest conception. Longer than one moment she well knew it could not be for his spirit was ever on the march, ever ascending requiring something that was beyond the scope of the instant before. Georgianas death in the end is the result of her choice to obey Aylmer, even though she knew of his unrestrained obsession and faulty judgement.I believe Hawthorne is making a statement on the folly of intelligent women bending to the ridiculous whims of their husbands, while theyre perfectly capapble of making decisions themselves. This theme translates easily for many modern readers who continue to eliminate the residual expectation of women being subordinate to men. The rigid role of a woman that Georgiana fits into is still recognizable to us, but it is the intelligence and the small trial of independence she possesses that we can relate to. In the end we lament that she did not take a greater stand for herself, as many would have done today.