ipl-logo

Princess Vs Birthmark

495 Words2 Pages

The Princess and The Birthmark are two skillfully written literary short stories intended to convey the power of self-centered obsession. Possessing many similarities and differences in style, these stories center around three central elements: diction, syntax, and candid tone. Diction or word choice plays a huge part in both of these stories. Chock full of descriptive words and sentences, each story possesses many strong adjectives that help the reader imagine the story and the scene as it unfolds. Describing the inward conflict that Aylmer experiences in the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs, Hawthorne uses words such as “sombre” and “stealthily” to convey the dark revealing thoughts and actions of his troubled character. Conversely, Chekhov in the beginning paragraphs of The Princess uses descriptive diction to describe the peacefulness and beauty of the secluded monastery saying, “From the …show more content…

The Princess possesses a developing tone throughout the story. Beginning in the very first paragraphs the Chekhov writes with a cheerful and serene tone describing “peacefulness” of the monastery. However, Chekhov’s tone transitions quickly from this happy mood to a more revealing and candid outlook as the true nature of the Princess’s egotistical character is unmasked in her conversation with the doctor. “But I am not cross," laughed the doctor, but at once he flushed, took off his hat, and waving it about, began hotly: "To be candid, I've long wanted an opportunity to tell you all I think. . . .” The Birthmark’s raw, unfiltered tone is apparent from the beginning sentences of the story. Obsessed with the birthmark of Georgiana, Aylmer actions and dreams define the tone for the entire piece. Dreaming about the removal of Georgiana's' birthmark Aylmer states “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

Show More
Related

  • Reader Response: The Birthmark: Reader's Response

    947 Words  | 4 Pages

    At the end of the story Aylmer regretted pressuring his wife to change herself and feels remorseful for what he did. The Birthmark follows the struggles of man versus nature and man versus self. The main character Aylmer suffered no not being about to accept the flaws of his wife but also the fact that he cannot do everything, mostly because it is not his place to do these things. As the story develops the need for Aylmer to reach perfection grows stronger and later kills his wife.

    Read More

  • Brady Rotondaro Back Road Analysis

    769 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Back Roads” by Vinnie Rotondaro and “A Winter’s Drive” by ReadWorks both have something in common, but the moods are completely different. Mood is how a reader feels while reading a text. Both of the short stories talk about going on road trips. “Back Roads” is about two guys going to visit their friend. They take back roads because they don’t like being rushed.

    Read More

  • Comparing Women In The Birthmark And Eye Of The Beholder

    502 Words  | 3 Pages

    Georgiana at first didn’t care that she had the mark on her face. She enjoyed the mark because she had been told by many people that “some fairy at her birth hour had laid her tiny hand upon the infant’s cheek”. But eventually, in her eyes it seemed like a devil had laid his hand upon her cheek. This fairy vs. devil symbolizes the way that Aylmer changes her point of view of the birthmark in a negative way. As the male authority figure Aylmer is convincing her to change her looks, whether she wants to or not.

    Read More

  • The Birthmark Analysis Essay

    717 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the story “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, he uses several techniques to help build his story. Hawthorne tells a story of a man of science whose name was Aylmer. He married a beautiful women named Georgiana, although she was quite beautiful she had a birthmark on her face which, in Aylmer’s eyes was an imperfection. Aylmer tries to perfect Georgiana, but in the end Aylmer’s attempts to change Georgiana causes him to lose her. Aylmer does not accept the idea of imperfections in people.

    Read More

  • Georgiana's Symbol In The Birth-Mark By Nathaniel Hawthorne

    670 Words  | 3 Pages

    The title of the short story “The Birth-Mark” reflects the strongest symbol in the story, the birthmark on Georgiana’s cheek. Throughout the story the birthmark is referenced in a variety of ways to show how it is diversely perceived by different people. Those different perceptions work in conjunction with the end of the story to portray the birthmark’s different symbolic meanings. Right away in the story the reader is given two different perceptions of the birthmark, one from Aylmer, Georgiana’s husband, and one from Georgiana herself. “‘Georgiana,’ said he, ‘has it ever occurred to you that the mark upon your cheek might be removed?’”

    Read More

  • Obsession In Nathanial Hawthorne's The Birth-Mark

    1165 Words  | 5 Pages

    These scholars’ arguments contribute to the story, “The Birth-Mark”, Nathanial Hawthorne expresses the common personal issue that individuals possess. The Birth-Mark was about a man named Aylmer and his obsession of science and the birth mark on his wife’s face. The birth

    Read More

  • Perfection In The Birthmark And Eye Of The Beholder

    781 Words  | 4 Pages

    Intro: Nathaniel Hawthorne’s fictional short story “The Birthmark” and The Twilight Zone’s darkly romantic episode “Eye of the Beholder” both use gothic elements and delve into the realm of science to explore concepts of beauty and perfection. Through their contrasting characterizations of the scientist and employments of irony and allusions, each work comes to its own conclusions about how to define and treat beauty. Body #1: The Birthmark From the very first paragraph, Hawthorne’s story revolves around Aylmer, a scientist who supposedly gives up his career to marry the beautiful woman of his dreams, Georgiana.

    Read More

  • Comparing The Birth-Mark And A Wall Of Fire Rising

    1083 Words  | 5 Pages

    The narrator mention that “it was not unusual for the love of science to rival the love of woman in its depth and absorbing energy”(Hawthorne 212). This is the center of the entire conflict. The narrator wants the reader think about the purpose of why Aylmer so obsessed on her birthmark? Is that only like simply obsession on the appearance or this is only his desire of overcoming the nature by science? The conflict emphasize that a excessive ambitions will makes a miserable consequence.

    Read More

  • The Birthmark Character Analysis

    573 Words  | 3 Pages

    In “The Birthmark”, Aylmer is bothered in seeing a birthmark on his wife Georgiana’s cheek. I believe that Aylmer was truly evil in the way he manipulated Georgiana in thinking he truly cared about her. Aylmer’s ideas of perfection were the most dangerous thing about him and even led him to kill. When Georgiana learned of her husband’s disdain towards her birthmark she was devastated. Slowly, Aylmer manipulated Georgiana into believing that this mark would need to be removed.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Figurative Language In The Birthmark

    590 Words  | 3 Pages

    The birthmark itself symbolizes morality. Aylmer, this brilliant scientist and husband to Georgiana, sees it has as fatal flaw. It also represents this imperfection of human nature. Nothing is perfect in nature, but science can help improve to make it seem flawless.

    Read More

  • Characters In The Birthmark

    506 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Birthmark: This is the first time I read this story. I think the story is a tragedy, because at the end of the story Georgiana died. I feel bad for her, because she did not do anything wrong. She is a charming woman who desires a better man. Aylmer is a horrible husband who does not appreciate her wife.

    Read More

  • Georgiana's Birthmark Symbolism

    408 Words  | 2 Pages

    The hand serves as the image of mankind. Aylmer sees his wife’s birthmark as “the symbol of his wife’s liability to sin, sorrow, decay, and death” (2). The way he views the mark on her cheek serves as a reminder that death is inevitable for both him and Georgiana. It contrasts Aylmer’s idea of achieving perfection through science and it disturbs him. When Aylmer dreams of removing Georgiana’s birthmark, he sees that the hand’s “tiny grasp appeared to have caught hold of Georgiana’s heart; whence, however her husband was inexorably resolved to cut or wrench it away,” (3).

    Read More

  • The Hand 'In Hawthorne's The Birthmark'

    1526 Words  | 7 Pages

    From the late 18th century to the mid-19th century America began to experience Romanticism; a period where emotions, spiritual understanding, and a close relationship with nature were emphasized. Romanticism is clearly the style used in Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark” not to mention it is chalked full of symbolism in light of one man’s obsession with nature, science, perfection, and Georgiana. The birthmark resembling a “tiny crimson hand” imprinted on Georgiana’s cheek is clearly a form of symbolism used to represent many concepts in this great literary piece. Many may interpret “the hand” to symbolize such things as mortality, imperfection, humanity, the hand of nature, the hand of God, or even a liability of sin.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Rappaccini's Daughter And The Birthmark

    743 Words  | 3 Pages

    Equally Aylmer and Dr. Rappiccini, both characters in Hawthorne’s works causes destruction of human life with selfish aims to perfect the woman of their choice. In the case of Aylmer’s love interest in science, just as with the case of Beatrice’s father, blinds him to the true beauty and humanity of the woman before him. Aylmer views Georgiana’s birthmark as a symbol of imperfection and tries to remove it. At the end of the story, Georgiana say, "My poor Aylmer," she repeated, with a more than human tenderness, "you have aimed loftily; you have done nobly. Do not repent that with so high and pure a feeling, you have rejected the best the earth could offer.

    Read More

  • Georgiana's Unhealthy Relationship In The Birthmark By Nathaniel Hawthorne

    791 Words  | 4 Pages

    When Aylmer and Georgiana got married, Georgiana was taken from her mothers home, making her complete dependent on Aylmer and his opinions. In addition to this, Aylmer’s belief hat he is better than God, and has the ability to remove Georgiana’s birthmark, creates inequality in their relationship. Finally, due to Georgiana’s obsession with what Aylmer thinks of her, paired with Aylmer's rude looks and comments, leads her to do something

    Read More

More about Princess Vs Birthmark

Open Document