LA CONSOLACION COLLEGE BACOLOD

School of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education (SGSCE)

Corner Galo- Gatuslao Streets, Bacolod City

Principles, Theories, and Practices in Literary Criticism

MAEL 205

Submitted to:

Manuel J. Radislao, MATL, MAED

Submitted by:

Angeline Marie S. Limbaga

April 8, 2017
 Destroying Galatea: A Critical Analysis of Nathaniel Hawthornes The Birthmark

He knows 'tis madness, yet he must adore, And still the more he knows it, loves

the more: The flesh, or what so seems, he touches oft, Which feels so smooth, that he

believes it soft. (Dryden, Pope, et.al, 1717) These lines were taken from the classic

Greek story Pygmalion and Galatea by Ovid in his book, The Metamorphoses. The love

of the sculptor to his creation became a love story adored by many. But contrary to this,

this story also shows Agalmatophilia, or the sexual attraction towards dolls, sculptures,

or other man-like objects which eventually led to Pygmalions obsession with his

sculpture, Galatea. Obsession in his case led to a happy ending as favoured by the

goddess Aphrodite, however, this is not true to the case of Aylmer in Nathaniel

Hawthornes short story entitled The Birthmark. His love for Georgiana did not equate

to the love of Pygmalion towards the perfect Galatea, thus no miracle happened.

Instead, his love for Georgiana led to her demise, thus can be described to as

destroying his Galatea.

Nathaniel Hawthorne is a romantic writer during the Gothic period. A romantic

writer writes about appreciation of beauty and nature. However in the case of

Hawthorne, he writes in contradiction to appreciation of such elements. In his short story

entitled, The Birthmark these inversions are greatly highlighted. The story revolves

around a scientist named Alymer who left the world of science to marry a beautiful

Georgiana. In this case, Alymer and Pygmalion are similar since both of them are

creators, one is a creator of science while the other is a creator of arts. Both of them fell

in love and left their field of arts.

 Georgiana may be considered to be at par with the beauty of Galatea. Whereas

Galatea is described to be he carved a statute out of ivory that was so resplendent and

delicate no maiden could compare with its beauty, Georgiana is described as in the

centre of Georgiana's left cheek there was a singular mark, deeply interwoven, as it

were, with the texture and substance of her face. In the usual state of her complexion--a

healthy though delicate bloom--the mark wore a tint of deeper crimson, which

imperfectly defined its shape amid the surrounding rosiness. Georgianas beauty was

flawed however it did not mean that she is not perfect. This flaw served as her

uniqueness among others which charms the men and causes jealousy to breed in the

hearts of other women.

Alymer sees his wife Georgiana as perfect, but considers her birthmark to be

disturbing and wishes for it to be removed. He could not see that the mark in the cheek

of his wife makes her beauty shine more. He should have been grateful that Georgiana

had chosen him rather than others who appreciated even her imperfections. Instead,

she wishes to remove his wifes beauty mark.

Pygmalion on the other hand disliked women before creating Galatea. Upon her

completion, Pygmalion saw her beautiful beyond compare. Of course, beauty is in the

eye of the beholder as is perfection. There could have been many other beautiful

women during his time but still he chose Galatea.

Alymer had sought to remove the birthmark of Georgiana. This became his

obsession. The mind is in a sad state when Sleep, the all-involving, cannot confine her

spectres within the dim region of her sway, but suffers them to break forth, affrighting

this actual life with secrets that perchance belong to a deeper one. Aylmer now
remembered his dream. He had fancied himself with his servant Aminadab, attempting

an operation for the removal of the birthmark; but the deeper went the knife, the deeper

sank the hand, until at length its tiny grasp appeared to have caught hold of Georgiana's

heart; whence, however, her husband was inexorably resolved to cut or wrench it

away. He dreams of removing the birthmark even in dreadful means. It was his

insecurity that had driven him to obsession. He also destroyed the positive disposition of

Georgiana by infecting her with his insecurity. Danger? There is but one danger -- that

this horrible stigma shall be left upon my cheek!'' cried Georgiana. ``Remove it, remove

it, whatever be the cost, or we shall both go mad'' (Hawthorne).

With all the psychological torture, Georgiana gave in to the madness of Aylmer.

The deed was done and the life of Georgiana had withered like the flower Aylmer had

used in his experiment. In her final moments, she exclaimed, Do not repent that with so

high and pure a feeling, you have rejected the best the earth could offer. Aylmer,

dearest Aylmer, I am dying'' (Hawthorne). Unlike Pygmalion who had cherished the gift

of the goddess, Aylmer had shown discontent thus in the process had destroyed his

very own version of Galatea.

 References

The Story of Pygmalion and Galatea. (n.d.). Retrieved April 05, 2017, from

https://cmes.arizona.edu/sites/cmes.arizona.edu/files/The%20Story%20of%20

Pygmalion%20and%20Galatea.pdf

Woodward, C. (n.d.). The Birthmark Literary Analysis - Hard Copy. Retrieved April 05,

2017, from https://nathanielhawthornebio-analysis.wikispaces.com/The

Birthmark Literary Analysis - Hard Copy

Hawthorne, N. (n.d.). Nathaniel Hawthorne. Retrieved April 05, 2017, from

http://www.online-literature.com/hawthorne/125/