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Overview
“The Birthmark” is a short story by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne, first published in 1843
. The story revolves around Aylmer, a scientist, and his beautiful wife Georgiana, whose only flaw is a small birthmark on her cheek. Aylmer becomes consumed by the desire to remove the birthmark, believing it symbolizes imperfection. The story delves into themes of ambition, the dangers of trying to remove the imperfections inherent in humanity, and the consequences of trying to change or control nature.Read the free full text, the full story summary, and explanations of important quotes from “The Birthmark.”
