Obsession of Perfection Essay

The relentless chase of charitable n cardinalsuch has always been an intrinsic trait of military personnel spirit and comprehension has been a mean to get hold of it. This statement brings us to the master(prenominal) idea of Hawthornes picayune story The Birth-mark. It shows the story of a scientist who is preoccupy with the removal of his married fair sexs nevus, considering it a symbol of her kind-hearted im saint. The Birth-mark is perhaps influenced by Hawthornes times where science began to gain knowledge almost our world and was considerably glorified, through scientific experiment, humankind quarter disc over, know, and do honest or so anything. As the narrator explains, In those days when the relatively recent discovery of electricity and other kindred mysteries of Nature seemed to stretch paths into the region of miracle, in its depth and absorbing energy (Hawthorne 209). The authors story presents some critical issues about what it signifies to be human , how untold science washstand tell us about the world, what happens when human worlds attempt to adulterate temper through science, and possibly more epoch-makingly, should we rise to play paragon in this manner.The Birth-mark like other stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne provides us with clean-living allegories and much of the content is through Hawthornes use of symbolism that addresses the themes such as manipulation of science, humanitys flaws, and infantile fixation with perfection. Hawthorne uses an intriguing plot and rum characterization in order to teach lessons about the imperfectability of humans by examining at the misuse of science. Since Hawthorne is involved in the telling of a moral tale, it is appropriate to consider in this es conjecture the ways The Birth-mark takes the moral to chasten its readers about the dangers of science and arrested development with perfection. Therefore, this essay will discuss the meaning of the more obvious lessons that Hawtho rnes short story The Birth-mark suggests, the imperfect character of humankind, the limitations that science has, and the contentment that humans should brace on what they already possess.The main character Aylmer, a man of science an eminent proficient in every branch of natural philosophy (Hawthorne 209), suffers from a blind obsession about a detailed red birthmark resembling the casting of a hand that his gorgeous wife Georgiana has on her cheek. As Aylmer declargons Ah, upon another stage perhaps it might, replied her husband 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 whether to barrier a defect or a beauty shocks me, as being the visible mark of domainly imperfection (Hawthorne 209). He seeks to remove his wifes birthmark, the symbol of necessarily flawed humanity, and drag her perfect.Georgianas birthmark represents mans imperfections, the very imperfections th at make her human. The birthmark is deeply deep-seated in her memorial tablet. It was the fatal flaw of humanity which Nature, in one shape or another, stamps ineffaceably on all her productions, either to imply that they are episodic and finite, or that their perfection must be wrought by production and pain (Hawthorne 211). We can assume that, symbolically, this flight implies that mans imperfections are deeply embedded in his nature. The Birthmark illustrates the flaws of mankind, but its most significant declaration is that to be human is inevitably to be flawed. To struggle for perfection is to deny humans own nature, to deny what makes us human, and to achieve such perfection is essentially impossible. It becomes clear when the narrator of the story describes Georgianas death The fatal hand had grappled with the mystery of life, and was the bond by which an angelical spirit kept itself in union with a mortal frame.As the last crimson tint of the birthmarkthat sole token o f human imperfectionfaded from her cheek, the parting breath of the now perfect woman passed into the atmosphere, and her soul, lingering a moment near her husband, took its heavenward flight (Hawthorne 222), by eliminating Georgianas imperfection, Aylmer also liberates her of her humanity. Once she is perfect, once she is no longer flawed, Georgiana can no longer live. Hawthornes message is that being imperfect is unspoilt part of being human. If you are not flawed, you are not human anymore. It seems then that the central lesson and underlying moral message behind this passage is that trying to put a small mistake way up out of proportion, in attempt to create something perfect, only destroys a expert thing and leave us with the fatal consequences that come with senseless obsession of pursuing perfection.Another example of a moral lesson that Hawthornes short story The Birth-mark suggests is that science really does have its limitations. There are certain things that humans are not privileged to know or satisfactory of doing. It is not only arrogant, the story seems to implies, but absolutely dangerous to try to play God. Much as he had accomplished, she could not but continue that his most splendid successes were almost invariably failures His brightest diamonds were the merest pebbles, and felt to be so by himself, in comparison with the inestimable gems which lay hidden beyond his reach (Hawthorne 217). Aylmer cannot discover everything about Nature he has failed in his historical experiments and he will fail again with Georgiana. One of the many ethics of the story is that Nature carefully protects her secrets and cannot be overcome or even so matched by man.As we discuss in the introduction of this essay, Hawthorne wrote The Birthmark at a time when the scientific method was being glorified and population were starting to think science really could take us anywhere we wanted to go. The Birthmark is presenting Nature as the personified cre ator of all things, as a god. There are implications in the story about moral ethical issues as science tests new drugs in human beings for instance, or scientists playing to be god like in the case of human cloning. Finally, it delivers the moral about what happens when human beings attempt to challenge and alter nature that can and often will end in tragic consequences.Aylmers gorgeous wife, Georgiana is highly desirable because of her beauty. The narrator describes her, declaring Georgianas lovers were wont to say that some fairy at her birth hour had laid her tiny hand upon the infants cheek, to give her such sway over all hearts (Hawthorne 210). She is perfect in every way, except for one tiny flaw that Aylmer cant accept. At all the seasons which should have been their happiest, he invariably opened his eyes upon his wifes face and recognized the symbol of imperfection (Hawthorne 211). Aylmer is more and more bothered by his wifes birthmark. He grows to find it utterly i ntolerable, and even describes it as the symbol of his wifes liability to sin, sorrow, decay, and death (Hawthorne 211). The obsession with perfection blinds Aylmer to the true beauty and humanity of his wife, showing the struggle between accept her true natural beauty and mans inability to embrace it and appreciate what nature has bestowed upon him.As the story revels through this important plagiarize Do not repent you have rejected the best the earth could offer (Hawthorne 222). Hawthornes critical lesson is that Aylmer didnt recognize how lucky he was to have Georgiana. At the end of the story Aylmer is punished for being dissatisfied with a woman who pledged her love and entrusted her life to him, a woman whose inner and outer beauty he could not see and his discontent snatch away the most perfect thing in his life, Georgiana. gaiety on what we have is the central lesson of this passage when sometimes it is enough to just finish a task, even if it is not perfect because stri ving to make it perfect could end up spoiling many things in the process.At the end of The Birthmark, Aylmer both succeeds and fails. He succeeds in that he finally unfreeze his wife of her birthmark. He fails in thatshe is dead. Finally, this story involve mans desire to prefect what is already perfect and the use of science as a flawed tool to attain this perfection. Sure, Georgiana dies right afterwards, but the fact the Great Compromiser that Aylmer does indeed succeed in removing the birthmark from Georgianas cheek. What does this say about mans ability to conquer nature? The end justifies the means. You can use with child(p) or immoral methods as long as you accomplish something good by using them. It is acceptable to do something bad in order to obtain something good?Works CitedHawthorne, Nathaniel. The Birth-mark. Pearson Custom program library Introduction to Literature. Eds. Cain, Kathleen Shine, Kathleen Fitzpatrick, JN, et. al. Boston Pearson Learning Solution, 2013. 209-222. Print.