Kary Meyers Skredsvig - Womens Representation in Hawthornes The Birthmark - Essay Example

The bonds that tied Georgiana to the mortal world were somehow contained in the birthmark that Aylmer becomes obsessed with removing from his wife’s cheek.  Kary Meyers Skredsvig argues that the truest theme of the story is not in the conflict between science and humanism, but in the conflicting and unequal gender roles imposed upon men and women in a patriarchal society.

         Kary Meyers Skredsvig first makes the case of constructivism in light of feminist theory.  The thought that everyone creates their own reality based upon gender, education, economic status, etc. is spelled out at the beginning of the article to form a basis for argument.  The first argument made by the author to show that “The Birthmark” is a work rooted in the themes of gender struggle is the fact that Alymer is held up as the ideal, as the norm, while all of Georgiana’s descriptive passages are in relation to Alymer.  Alymer is described as a man of science, modern, efficient and self-confident.  Georgiana is blushing, tentative, and submissive to the will of Alymer.  The man is the center by which all of nature should be judged.  This shows that Alymer and Georgiana were living in a time of great patriarchy.

         The second argument the author makes is stating that “The Birthmark” is a work of feminist literature is the typified subservience of Georgiana in regards to her husband’s will.  The mention of her birthmark causes her great distress once she realizes it displeases her husband.  In truth, she wonders why Alymer ever married her at one point because he describes the appearance of the mark as “shocking”.  What had once been a trifle, or even considered a charm, was now perceived as a blight upon her beauty.  So, with the prodding and assurances of her husband, she submits to the removal of the birthmark.  This submission ultimately proves her undoing, as her husband focuses more on the science and progress of the experiment, and less on the desires and comfort of his wife. 

         Kary Meyers Skredsvig makes a truly noble attempt to establish a feminist perspective and theme throughout the telling of “The Birthmark”, but in doing so, the author has completely missed the point and beauty of the story.  The evidence is given and the constructivist ideology surmised does nothing to convince the reader that the story is not primarily about the struggle against the insidious march of science versus the peculiarities of the human condition and heart.  In turning the classic tale into little more than a struggle between sexes for dominance, the author misses the beauty and tragedy of the story, and thus the portions of the story that offer insight and inspiration concerning the cause of humanism.