| Many of Hawthorne's characters are burdened by | | | | Beatrice. In his critical response to the stories, Madison |
| inner conflicts which are never resolved into a tidy | | | | Jones observes: "Both women die as the |
| resolution. "The Birthmark", however, has a more | | | | consequence of attempts, devised by human science, |
| clearly defined moral than some of Hawthorne's other | | | | to purge their natures". With both tales, Hawthorne |
| work. The social significance of this story that was | | | | sets human morality and science on a collision course |
| written over 150 years ago endures into our modern | | | | that has not altered its path into the present day. |
| era with alarming clarity. An obsession with physical | | | | "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" introduces a scientist who |
| perfection and the battle between scientific progress | | | | shares Aylmer's confidence that he can reverse |
| and human morality are paramount in the minds of | | | | natural processes with the same result: bad science |
| many in today's society. This article will explore two | | | | putting others at risk. At first glance, Heidegger seems |
| primary points: first, it will focus on how "The Birthmark" | | | | more playful and less dangerous than Aylmer and |
| compares to some of Hawthorne's other work with | | | | Rappaccini: "My dear old friends... I am desirous of your |
| similar themes; next, it will weave these themes | | | | assistance in one of those little experiments with which |
| together to show how his work explores these issues | | | | I amuse myself in my study". But according to Madison |
| in haunting detail and could serve well as a mirror to | | | | Jones, our response to his virtues does not make him |
| modern-day values. | | | | any less diabolical. Heidegger's attempt to manipulate |
| Hawthorne's mistrust of science is evident in the "mad | | | | nature by granting eternal youth might be paralleled to |
| scientist" motif employed in many of his tales. In "The | | | | today's issues of genetic engineering and cloning. Both |
| Birthmark", Aylmer is a megalomaniacal scientist who | | | | are attempts to manipulate the natural order of things. |
| thinks himself omnipotent: "No king on his guarded | | | | The dichotomy of Hawthorne's time and ours can be |
| throne could keep his life if I, in my private station, | | | | merged when we consider an issue such as cloning. |
| should deem that the welfare of millions justified me in | | | | Dr. Bruce Donald of the Church of Scotland offers: |
| depriving him of it". In "Rappaccini's Daughter", Dr. | | | | "Faced with such a fertile prospect, the human |
| Rappaccini is a "mad scientist" conducting experiments | | | | imagination runs riot... we might clone humans to select |
| on his daughter which involve poisonous plants. And in | | | | out genetic defects or select for desirable traits |
| "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment", the protagonist | | | | (Donald). Some would argue that this is a good thing |
| experiments with a fountain of youth elixir on his | | | | but Donald contends that the motives proposed turn |
| friends. Although Heidegger's results aren't fatal, as in | | | | out to be for the benefit of the person who wants the |
| the other two stories, they are, indeed, dismal and are | | | | cloning done, not for the person so produced. This |
| no less subject to ethical criticism. | | | | sounds remarkably close to Dr. Heidegger's motives, |
| To put the theme of "The Birthmark" into a modern | | | | because we have evidence to support that he |
| perspective, we need only to reiterate that the pursuit | | | | created the elixir "for his own amusement" rather than |
| of physical perfection and the willingness to go to any | | | | chiefly for the benefit of his friends. With these three |
| lengths to get it is one of the grand themes of | | | | tales, Hawthorne extends his list of scientific |
| modern-day thinking. Georgianna's birthmark | | | | grievances. |
| symbolizes her liability to sin, sorrow, decay, and death | | | | While these three stories offer immediate insight into |
| and she is willing to forego the danger involved to | | | | modern concerns, other Hawthorne tales do the same |
| have it removed: "There is but one danger-that this | | | | although they may not be quite so straightforward. |
| horrible stigma shall be left upon my cheek... Remove it, | | | | "Ethan Brand" presents another scientist whose pride |
| remove it, whatever be the cost". We need only recall | | | | leads him astray. In this story, Hawthorne creates a |
| the Phen-fen and Redux debacle of a few years ago | | | | model of self-destructive perfectionism; Brand ruins |
| and reflect on the present "perfection" techniques now | | | | himself as surely as Aylmer kills Georgianna (Bunge |
| being widely used such as breast implants, liposuction, | | | | 30-32). In "The Artist of the Beautiful" Owen tries to |
| and scores of other dubiously "safe" cosmetic surgery | | | | make machinery look natural, but his art, like Aylmer's |
| procedures to see that the mindset of Aylmer and | | | | science, is a hopeless attempt to evade reality. And |
| Georgianna is still quite relevant today. While it is true | | | | "The Prophetic Pictures" introduces us to a painter |
| that Georgianna did not appear to have an issue with | | | | who thinks he can predict the future, and thus, control |
| her birthmark until Aylmer made it an issue, it must be | | | | time. He has a madness not unlike Aylmer's and with |
| stated that the influence of family and peers plays a | | | | similar consequences. The modern significance of all |
| significant role in the way people think about | | | | these stories can be tidily summed up with one |
| themselves and in their decision making. Let us | | | | observation by Richard Harter Fogle: "Man's chief |
| compare the response of Georgianna to that of a | | | | temptation is to forget his limits and complexities..." |
| modern woman who is contemplating plastic surgery. | | | | Hawthorne's foresight into the future was quite |
| Author Kathy Davis takes us into the examining room | | | | remarkable. Although his work is dated, the ethical |
| of a health insurance agency on the morning for | | | | questions which he raises remain valid today. |
| applicants who are seeking coverage for cosmetic | | | | Georgianna's absorption of Aylmer's obsession can be |
| surgery: | | | | likened to today's women jumping on the bandwagon |
| I have no idea what to expect as the patient enters | | | | of fad diets and questionable cosmetic procedures. On |
| the room. She is a slender, pretty woman in her early | | | | another point, Hawthorne's suspicion of science seems |
| twenties who looks a bit like Nastassia Kinski... Hunched | | | | a little less unreasonable now that it might have in his |
| forward and with eyes cast downward, she begins to | | | | day when we consider our capacity to destroy the |
| explain that she is "unhappy with what she has". "I | | | | planet with nuclear weapons. Fogle comments that |
| know I shouldn't [compare] myself to other women", | | | | while Hawthorne's conception of science has generally |
| she whispers, "but I just can't help it." | | | | been considered old-fashioned by his critics, the joke |
| The Aylmers of today are the plastic surgeons and | | | | would seem to have turned against them with the |
| drug-peddling physicians who feed the unrealistic notion | | | | growth of modern science and technology. Aylmer, |
| that a woman's body is unacceptable unless it appears | | | | Rappaccini, and Heidegger all represent the claims of |
| to be a jackpot winner in the "genetic lottery". Despite | | | | modern science, from the miracle diet pills, cosmetic |
| the changes in cultural beauty ideals over time, one | | | | surgeries, and anti-aging creams and potions, to |
| feature remains constant according to Davis; namely, | | | | Minoxidil, to Viagra which allows the "soldier"on |
| that beauty is worth spending time, money, pain, and | | | | permanent KP duty to finally issue a sharp military |
| perhaps even life itself. The hand-shaped birthmark | | | | salute. Some of our "miracle" science appears to work, |
| which pervaded the world of Georgianna and Aylmer | | | | but some has dire consequences. |
| also has an obsessive vice-like grip on our century-it is | | | | Finally, we have examined how Hawthorne's themes |
| squeezing the life out of some, and the humanity out | | | | form a common bond to modern-day practical and |
| of others. As H. Bruce Franklin points out, "The | | | | ethical questions. Hawthorne, himself, had an obsession |
| Birthmark" is both an intricately wrought science fiction | | | | with his ancestral past, so it is ironic that he produced |
| and a commentary of what Hawthorne saw as the | | | | work that would prove to be a prelude to the future. |
| fiction of science. | | | | Hawthorne wants us to see that "human perfection" is |
| "Rappaccini's Daughter" is another tale which explores | | | | an oxymoron. On this point, Fogle notes that Aylmer's |
| research gone amok as the doctor has created a | | | | tragic flaw is failing to see the tragic flaw in humanity. |
| daughter who lives in a poisonous garden and is | | | | Hawthorne's "mad scientists" cannot come to terms |
| poisonous herself. Like Aylmer, Rappaccini sees | | | | with the fact that humanity and imperfection are |
| himself as God-like. This argument is advanced by | | | | inseparable. But still today, we are no less apt to buy |
| Franklin's interpretation of the basic allegory in the tale: | | | | into the rantings of our own mad scientists and snake |
| "Rappaccini, creator of the [poisonous Eden], in trying | | | | oil salesmen on late night infomercials who infest our |
| to be God exposes his daughter, the Adam of this | | | | society and promise us perfection. Madison Jones |
| inverted Eden, to a modern snake in the grass, Baglioni, | | | | sums up the foresight of Hawthorne supremely: "Like |
| who persuades the Eve-like Giovanni to introduce the | | | | many a reformer in our day, Aylmer would have |
| fatal food into the learned fool's paradise". Rappaccini's | | | | human nature reconstituted or else not at all. |
| delusions of grandeur are apparent as he attempts to | | | | Hawthorne, if unconsciously, was looking well ahead. |
| justify his experiment to his dying daughter: "Dost thou | | | | But genius has always been at least one part |
| deem it misery to be endowed with marvellous gifts... | | | | prophecy". Hawthorne's moral makes a plea to us to |
| Misery to be able to quell the mightiest with a breath? | | | | accept our own imperfections. This moral can be |
| Misery, to be as terrible as thou art beautiful". This air | | | | expressed through a quote from-of all people-David |
| of omnipotence is nowhere more evident than in the | | | | Letterman. In an interview that I remember from a few |
| physicians today whose life-prolonging machinery | | | | years ago, Letterman was asked by an actress what |
| allows them to literally decide life and death. And we, | | | | he would change about his physical appearance if he |
| of course, cannot forget the good Dr. Kevorkian and | | | | could. Letterman's reply was, "Well, I wouldn't change |
| the euthanasia issue which has turned into a battle of | | | | anything. I figure, these are the cards I was dealt-what |
| rhetoric that theologians and scientists will probably | | | | the hell- I'll play 'em". Hawthorne would have probably |
| never agree on. Aylmer and Rappaccini can best be | | | | liked Letterman. |
| likened by making a comparison of Georgianna and | | | | |