When Genius Destroys What Makes Us Human

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The classic tale "The Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne explores the dark consequences of a scientist's obsession with perfection. We delve into this tragic story where Aylmer's quest to remove his wife Georgiana's facial birthmark—what he sees as her only flaw—leads to devastating results.

• Aylmer, a brilliant scientist, becomes fixated on removing his wife Georgiana's small hand-shaped birthmark
• The birthmark changes with Georgiana's emotions, appearing vividly when she is pale and fading when she blushes
• Georgiana initially sees her birthmark as charming but adopts her husband's view that it's a defect
• Aylmer conducts experiments in his laboratory to remove what he perceives as nature's mistake
• The tragic removal of the birthmark results in Georgiana's death, revealing that the mark was connected to her life force
• The story serves as a powerful warning about the dangers of pursuing perfection at the expense of appreciating natural beauty

Thank you for listening to this installment of Ron Reads Boring Books featuring "The Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello, are you tired?
You will be.
Welcome to Ron Reads, welcometo the Boring Book Series.
Today we're reading theBirthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne

(00:22):
, first published in HawthorneMosses, from an Old Man's,
boston, huffton, mifflinHarcourt, 1846.

(00:44):
A long time ago there lived askillful scientist who had
experienced a spiritual reactionmore striking than any chemical
one.
He had left his laboratory inthe care of his assistant,
washed the chemicals from hishands and asked a beautiful
woman to become his wife.

(01:05):
In those days, new scientificdiscoveries such as electricity,
seemed to open paths into thearea of miracles.
It was not unusual for the loveof science to compete with the
love of a woman.
The scientist's name was aElmer Elmer.

(01:31):
He had so totally given himselfto scientific studies that he
could not be weakened by asecond love.
His love for his young wifecouldn't only be stronger if the
two of the two, if it, couldlink itself with his love of
science.

(01:52):
Such a union did take placewith truly remarkable results.
But one day, very soon aftertheir marriage, elmer looked at
his wife with a troubledexpression.
Georgiana, he said have youever considered that the mark

(02:16):
upon your cheek might beremoved' "'No' she said, smiling
.
"'but seeing the seriousness ofhis question' she said "'the
mark has so often been called acharm.
"'that I was simple enough toimagine it might be so' "'On
another face it might, answeredher husband, but not on yours.

(02:36):
No, dear nature made you soperfectly that this small defect
shocks me as being a sign ofearthly imperfection.
Shocks you, cried, georgianadeeply hurt, her face reddened
and she burst into tears.
Then why did you marry me?

(02:57):
You cannot love what shocks you.
We must explain that in thecenter of Georgiana's left cheek
there was a mark deep in herskin.
The mark was usually a deep redcolor.
When Georgiana blushed the markbecame less visible.
But when she turned pale therewas a mark like a red stain upon

(03:22):
snow.
The birthmark would come and gowith the emotions in her heart.
The mark was shaped like a verysmall human hand.
The mark was shaped like a verysmall human hand.
Georgiana's past lovers used tosay that the hand of a magical
fairy had touched her face whenshe was born.
Many a gentleman would haverisked his life for the honor of

(03:43):
kissing that mysterious hand.
But the other people haddifferent opinions.
Some women said the red handquite destroyed the effect of
Georgiana's beauty.
Male observers did not praisethe mark, simply wished it away
so they did not see it.

(04:04):
After his marriage, elmerdiscovered that this was the
case with himself.
Had Georgiana been lessbeautiful, he might have felt
his love increased by theprettiness of that little hand.
But because she was otherwiseso perfect, he found the mark

(04:25):
had become unbearable.
Elmer saw the mark as a sign ofhis wife's eventual sadness,
sickness and death.
Soon the birthmark caused himmore pain than Georgiana's
beauty had ever given himpleasure During a period that

(04:45):
should have been their happiest.
Elmer could only think of thisdisastrous subject.
Elmer could only think of thisdisastrous subject.
With the morning light, elmeropened his eyes upon his wife's
face and recognized the sign ofimperfection.
When they sat together in theevening near the fire, he would

(05:08):
look at the mark.
Georgiana soon began to fearhis look.
His expression would make herface go pale and the birthmark
would stand out like a red jewelon white stone.
Do you remember, dear Elmer,about the dream you had last
night about this hateful mark?
She asked with a weak smile.

(05:29):
None, none, whatever, answeredAylmer surprised.
The mind is in a sad state whensleep cannot control its ghosts
and allow them to break freewith their secrets.
Aylmer now remembered his dream.
He had imagined himself withhis assistant Amenadab, trying

(05:52):
to remove the birthmark with anoperation.
But the deeper his knife went,the deeper the small hand sank,
until it had caught hold ofGeorgiana's heart.
Elmer felt guilty rememberingthe dream.
"'elmer', said Georgiana, "'ido not know what the cost would

(06:14):
be to both of us to remove thisbirthmark?
"'removing it could deform myface or damage my health'
"'Dearest Georgiana, I havespent much thought on the
subject', said Elmer.
"'i am sure it can be removed'.
"'then let the attempt be madeat any risk, said Georgiana.

(06:35):
Life is not worth living whilethis hateful mark makes me the
object of your horror.
You have deep science and havemade great discoveries.
Remove this little mark for thesake of your peace and my own
Dearest wife, cried Elmer.

(06:56):
Do not doubt my power.
I am ready to make this cheekas perfect as its pair.
Her husband gently kissed herright cheek, the one without the
red hand.
The next day the couple went toElmer's laboratory where he had

(07:17):
made all his famous discoveries.
Georgiana would live in abeautiful room he had prepared
nearby while he workedtirelessly in his lab.
One by one, elmer tried aseries of powerful experiments
on his wife, but the markremained.
Georgiana waited in her room.

(07:38):
She read through his notebooksof scientific observations.
She could not help see thatmany of his experiments had
ended in failure.
She decided to see for herselfthe scientist at work.
The first thing that struckGeorgiana when entering the

(07:58):
laboratory was the hot furnace.
From the amount of soot aboveit seemed to have been burning
for ages.
She saw machines, tubes,cylinders and other containers
for chemical experiments.
What most drew her attentionwas aylmer himself.
He was nervous and pale asdeath as he worked on preparing

(08:22):
a liquid.
Think not so little of me thatyou cannot be honest about the
risks we're taking.
She said I will drink whateveryou make for me, even if it is a
poison.
My dear, nothing shall behidden.

(08:44):
Elmer said I have already givenyou the chemicals powerful
enough to change your entirephysical system.
The only thing remains to betried, and if that fails, we are
ruined.
Only one thing remains to betried, and if that fails, we're
ruined.
He led her back to her roomwhere she waited once more,

(09:06):
along with her thoughts.
She hoped that for just onemoment she could satisfy her
husband's highest ideals.
But she realized then that hismind would forever be on the
march, always requiringsomething newer, better and more
perfect.
Hours later, elmer returnedcarrying a crystal glass with a

(09:29):
colorless liquid.
The chemical process wentperfectly, he said.
Unless all my science hastricked me, it cannot fail To
test the liquid.
He placed a drop in the soil ofa dying flower growing in a pot
in the room.
In a few minutes the plantbecame healthy and green once

(09:49):
more.
I do not need proof.
Georgiana said quietly Give methe glass.
I am happy to put my life inyour hands.
She drank the liquid andimmediately fell asleep.
Elmer sat next to his wife,observing her and taking notes.
He noted everything herbreathing, the movement of an

(10:11):
eyelid.
He stared at the birthmark andslowly, with every breath that
came and went, it lost some ofits brightness.
By heaven, it's nearly gone,said Elmer.
Success, success.
He opened the window coveringsto see her face in the daylight.
She was so pale.

(10:33):
Georgiana opened her eyes andlooked into the mirror her
husband held.
She tried to smile as she sawthe barely visible mark.
My poor Elmer, she said.
You have aimed so high with sohigh and pure a feeling.
You have rejected the best theearth could offer.
I'm dying dearest, it was true,the hand on her face had been

(10:57):
her link to life.
As the last trace of colordisappeared from her cheek, she
gave her last breath, blinded bya meaningless imperfection and
an impossible goal.
Elmer had thrown away her lifeand with it his chance for
happiness.
In trying to improve his lovelywife, he had failed to realize

(11:19):
that she had been perfect allalong.
Thank you for listening to thisinstallment of Ron Reads Boring
Books.
This has been the Birthmark byNathaniel Hawthorne.
Thank you.