It is said that Nathanial Hawthorn is a very symbolic writer, and “Rappiccinni’s Daughter,” is just that. With many examples of symbolism that overwhelm the story, the garden is the most important. The garden is the heart of the story and where most everything takes place. Within the garden we can see symbolic features, as well as, symbolic traits in the characters. The garden where Doctor Rappiccinni’s daughter, Beatrice, is trapped has major symbolic meaning. The fantastic garden is filled with lush flowers and plants, with beautiful purple flowers in a large vase. In the center of the garden we see a broken fountain with water spilling out of it. The fountain represents knowledge and the sprit, unaffected by the changes of life that have
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The exemplary pattern of this garden symbolizes the Garden of Eden, as described in Genesis, "out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of good and evil….and a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden.." (Gen. 2:9-10). Like The Garden of Eden this garden being filled with poisonous flowers, will create test for Beatrice and Giovanni. Hawthorn explains how the plants were positioned but makes the statement, "some [were] placed in urns rich with old carving, and others in common garden pots, some crept serpent-like along the ground" (Hawthorne 47). The word serpent is used to describe the flowers, but also refers to the evil snake in the Garden of Eden; this makes us connect the flowers to being evil. Overall, we see the main comparisons between the two gardens being, in the mist of all the beauty it portrays evil still lingers.
With this being inferred we begin to see the characters as Bible characters. Rappiccinni as God, for he created The Garden of Eden, like Rappiccinni created this garden. This is kind of ironic though since God was not a creator or evil. Beatrice as Eve, only knowing life in the garden did not know what the outside world had to offer. Giovanni as Adam tempted by the beautiful Beatrice and purple flowers, just like Adam was tempted to eat the apple. The second “serpent” like
The exemplary pattern of this garden symbolizes the Garden of Eden, as described in Genesis, "out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of good and evil….and a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden.." (Gen. 2:9-10). Like The Garden of Eden this garden being filled with poisonous flowers, will create test for Beatrice and Giovanni. Hawthorn explains how the plants were positioned but makes the statement, "some [were] placed in urns rich with old carving, and others in common garden pots, some crept serpent-like along the ground" (Hawthorne 47). The word serpent is used to describe the flowers, but also refers to the evil snake in the Garden of Eden; this makes us connect the flowers to being evil. Overall, we see the main comparisons between the two gardens being, in the mist of all the beauty it portrays evil still lingers.
With this being inferred we begin to see the characters as Bible characters. Rappiccinni as God, for he created The Garden of Eden, like Rappiccinni created this garden. This is kind of ironic though since God was not a creator or evil. Beatrice as Eve, only knowing life in the garden did not know what the outside world had to offer. Giovanni as Adam tempted by the beautiful Beatrice and purple flowers, just like Adam was tempted to eat the apple. The second “serpent” like