Tragedy In The Birthmark

While the end of “The Birthmark” was tragic, it isn’t necessarily considered a tragedy. Given the circumstances, Aylmer and his tragic flaws are to blame for the tragedy at the end.

A tragic flaw, or hamartia, was first referenced in Aristotle's work “Poetics”, where his idea is that it is an “error of judgement” that brings the character’s downfall. In Greek literature, there will almost always be tragic flaws, a trait in a character that ultimately leads to their downfall. This characteristic does not only stay confined to Greek literature; it also drifts into many different genres. These stories are typically tragedies, where the main character usually dies or is defeated. Generally in these stories, the character is in need of an attitude …show more content…
A good example of tragic flaws would be Oedipus Rex, with his pride and tendency of being quick to anger. Oedipus’ hubris, or pride, is demonstrated whenever he tries to deny his fate of killing his father and marrying his mother told to him by the Oracle of Delphi. In the end, his rash anger began the series of unfortunate events by unknowingly killing his father after a random squabble at a crossroads. By the end, Oedipus unintentionally married his mother and fulfilled the prophecy he so desperately tried to oppose. These events led to him gouging his eyes out and being exiled from thebes. His flaws ultimately led to his …show more content…
Aylmer’s passion for science, his desire for perfection, and his foolish ambition all play a part in Georgiana’s demise. His passion for science interfered in his marriage because it consumed him and caused him to want to unlock the secrets of the natural world, like why Georgiana’s perfectness could be tainted by a mark of sin. Aylmer’s desire for perfection was tested by Georgiana’s birthmark stated here, “... you came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature that this is the slightest possible defect, which we hesitate whether to term a defect or beauty, shocks me, as being the visible mark of earthly imperfection.” Georgiana, at first, did not take this kindly and challenged him, but he slowly convinced her through a manipulative strategy of ignoring her and treating her as a grotesque being. Aylmer treats her as though she is nothing but imperfection because of his inability to look past the mark. His need for her to be perfect became his obsession because he wanted to resist what he thought was Nature’s way of mocking him and reminding him that his wife will one day die. Aylmer’s foolish ambition in science made him decide to continue with the experiment even though he knew he could die. This also demonstrates his passion for science by putting a possible scientific discovery over you own wife’s life. Georgiana in the end does not resist him at all and simply conforms to his ideals. Her