Feminisim in the Birthmark
In “The Birthmark,” the author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, shows the theme of feminism
through the text. The setting of the story, the 1700s, takes place during the time that woman was
not up to the same standards that men were. The idea of feminism in the text not only show
advocacy of woman and their rights in this society, but Hawthorne also explains examples of the
misconduct of woman. Through the main characters of the story, it is evident that the theme of
the story, one doesn’t know what one has until it’s gone, fits perfectly along the lines of
feminism. As the main male character does everything in his power to degrade the pedestal in
which the female character is standing on. In his failed attempt to change her, he fails to realize
that this woman, his wife, was the best thing that has ever happened to him but his idea of her
stop him from seeing her as his equal.
The time of year the story took place, the 1700s, women had to maintain the day to day
beauty standards that were held by men. Like today, beauty standards taught women that their
value is situated in socially constructed notions of beauty and that all other qualities they may
possess are secondary. Georgiana, the wife of scientist, Aylmer, was held to the standards by her
husband. Although everyone who she encountered complimented her beauty, her husband
couldn’t get over the fact that she has one tiny flaw, her birthmark, which was located on her
cheek and in the shape of a tiny hand. One day, soon after they were married, Aylmer asked his
wife if she ever considered removing her birthmark. To his surprise, her answer was no, as she
referenced it as a charm. Aylmer then replies, “Ah, upon another face perhaps, it might, but
never on yours. No dearest Georgiana, you came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature that
this slightest possible defect, which we hesitate where to term a defect or a beauty, shocks me, as
being the visible mark of earthly imperfection.” Similar to our today surgeons suggesting a
facelift or liposuction to their clients, Georgiana didn’t see her birthmark as some sort of flaw
until Aylmer pointed it out as an imperfection. This is a good example of the standards women
should hold in a society full of men who want them to be perfect on the outside. Later in the
story, Georgiana agrees to get this birthmark removed by her husband. After agreeing, Georgiana
went through her husband’s journals and realized that he failed nearly all of his experiments.
After finding Georgiana reading his books, Aylmer was ashamed and suggested she not read it.
Crazily enough, Georgiana responds was rather odd:
“It has made me worship you more than ever.”
Despite Aylmer’s attempt to change one small flaw that his wife possessed, Georgiana accepted
his many failed attempts in the lab, which was Aylmer’s flaw. And unlike Georgiana, Aylmer
looked at his wife’s one flaw and was ready to get rid of it in a heartbeat. Meanwhile, Georgiana
