Laden with allegory, dualism and symbolism, Hawthorne's "The Birthmark" sheds light on a variety of multifaceted and complex issues, chief among them those of sexuality and of humanity. While Aylmer's character appears secure both emotionally and intellectually, his obsession with perfection when applied to the subject of his wife Georgiana reveals deeper and more disconcerting stigmas that reflect the insecurity and fragility of the male intellectual psyche, while simultaneously exposing the 'inevitable and essential quality of imperfection to the scheme of humanity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The final tragedy of this work is foreshadowed almost immediately from its onset, with the narrator ominously stating how Aylmer "...had devoted himself, however, too wholeheartedly to scientific studies, to ever be weaned from a second passion. His love for his young wife may prove the stronger of the two, but it may only be intertwining with his love of science and uniting the latter's strength" (Hawthorne 645). This initial description of Aylmer truly paints him as the "man of science" he is said to be. In stating that Aylmer could not be distracted from science by any "second passion", Hawthorne reiterates that anything other than his initial passion for natural philosophy would always be, at best, of secondary importance. Even when the narrator states that Aylmer's love for Georgiana could become stronger than his devotion to science, it is simultaneously observed that this feat could only be achieved if the two passions joined forces, 'intertwining' and 'joining forces'. Each of these depictions of Aylmer's character reinforces the idea that his identity is essentially inseparable from science and the habits associated with it, thus setting the stage for the eventual exposure of the scientist's innate insecurities and, subsequently, those of the population intellectual of the male gender. The dualisms of "The Birth-Mark" reflect a plethora of distinct perspectives on the male psyche, while simultaneously reflecting viewpoints on issues of sexuality. Aminidab's henchman character serves as an ideal foil for Aylmer, representing everything he is not; crude, vapid and, above all, masculine. This masculinity allows Aminidab to look beyond the birthmark and realize Georgiana's beauty, stating that "If she were my wife, I would never part with that birthmark" (Hawthorne 649). While Aylmer is obsessed with Georgiana's perfection, Aminidab is at peace with the imperfection represented by the birthmark. This stark dichotomy between Aylmer, the intellectual, and Aminidab, the representative of the common man in his basest form, reveals Aylmer's truly peculiar character and provides the basis for the final revelation of his unique sexual situation. Furthermore, the stark contrast between the ethereal boudoir and the earthly laboratory symbolizes multiple other sexual themes. As Georgiana's interpretation of the dichotomy between laboratory and boudoir demonstrates, "The first thing that caught her attention was the furnace, that hot and feverish worker, with the intense glow of its fire, which from the quantity of soot accumulated above it seemed to have been burning for centuries... The atmosphere seemed oppressively closed, and was contaminated by gaseous odors that had been tormented by the processes of science, it seemed strange, accustomed as Georgiana had become to the fantastic elegance of her boudoir," (Hawthorne 653) The potentialBiblical allusion to heaven and hell becomes clear, with the boudoir, a safe and blissful environment contrasted with the "oppressive", "severe" nature of the laboratory. Furthermore, the fact that Aylmer works primarily in the laboratory and Georgiana remains in the boudoir represents the 'sexual idea that women, the "fragile" gender, cannot handle the demands of an environment such as the laboratory. This assumption furthers the dominant male ideal that drives the work and contributes significantly to the central sexual conflict around which revolves the scientific school of thought, Hawthorne uses this work as a personal attack on the psyche and character of the scientist himself. Rationalizing any female criticism of Georgiana's imperfection by implying jealousy, Hawthorne observes: "Some demanding people – but they were exclusively of her own sex. - claimed that the Bloody Hand, as they chose to call it, completely destroyed the effect of Georgiana's beauty, and made her appearance downright hideous" (Hawthorne 646), and justifying male acceptance of the birthmark by implying infatuation and common male obsession with the carnal and erotic, stating that "Male observers, if desire did not increase their admiration, were content to wish that this would disappear, that the world could possess a living specimen of ideal beauty, without the appearance of a flaw” (Hawthorne 646) Hawthorne effectively locates Aylmer’s character as a male intellectual who is at odds with want, a unique and monstrous hybrid of acceptance and disgust who does not fit any pre-established concept of how to deal with imperfection. This idiosyncratic characterization of Aylmer, a man who describes the birthmark as a “crimson stain upon stain” with almost “appalling distinction” (Hawthorne 646), establishes the basis for his description as a psychologically and emotionally fragile being. In his obsession with imperfection and his dangerously desperate attempt to remove the birthmark, Aylmer reveals a typically Freudian perspective on the topic of sexuality. While in fact Aylmer is a man obsessed with achieving a sense of perfection that perhaps even he himself recognizes as unattainable, in Georgiana's case, this desire for perfection also serves as a defense mechanism for his own sexual insecurity. Wanting to remove the birthmark, despite the risk, despite Georgiana's near perfection as she was, Aylmer actually seeks to eradicate his wife's sexuality that the "Crimson Hand" represents. A deeply ingrained part of Aylmer's consciousness hopes that Georgiana will return from their attempt to remove the birthmark changed completely, no longer a near-perfect challenge to his intellect and worldliness, and because yet another part of Aylmer knows that perfection is in fact unattainable due to her previous “mortifying failures” (Hawthorne 650), her sexual confidence is safe knowing that Georgiana will not, cannot, return flawless. However, while ultimately confident in his dominance over the female sex, Aylmer's trivial need to be superior reveals the troubling nature of his inherent sexual insecurity. Unable to accept the challenge of a near-ideal counterpart, Aylmer's subconscious must destroy any hint of a confrontation with his established intellectual male psyche. Please note: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get custom essay.