Symbolism In Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Birthmark'

Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birthmark" surrounds a man who wishes nothing more than to remove a birthmark from his wife’s otherwise beautiful face so that she might embrace perfection. It reflects the ideologies of the society that Hawthorne lived in that was inundated in the fascination of science. Even more so, through “The Birthmark,” Hawthorne uses symbolism and allusion to venture deep into a more philosophical interpretation of his understanding of the human nature that he believes is striving for what is unattainable, perfection. Throughout the story, man’s manipulations of nature and the resulting consequences are shown through a husband's obsession with trying to perfect his wife. The main character, Aylmer, who is described as a is under a disillusion that science is the ultimate …show more content…
In short, it is Georgina’s indispensable humanity that is predisposed to imperfection, and thus the symbolic meaning of the birthmark ties into the theme of society’s obsession with attaining the ideal.

Theme B: Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne

In “Young Goodman Brown,” Nathaniel Hawthorne uses various symbolisms, diction and foreshadowing to expose a theme of duality within men. The story starts inauspiciously for Goodman Brown as he journeys into the deep, dark forest of colonial New England to meet the Devil because he doubts the purity around him, even of himself. However, he still has faith that people can be rid of their evil heart. From the foundation of the story, Hawthorne’s emphasis on the dual nature of men can be seen through his naming of the characters in this story. Goodman Brown’s name underscores his innocence, as the words “Young” and “Good” are often associated with purity. Many names in the story seem to have multiple