Research Guides: Birth-mark, The: Critical Articles

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Corporeal Crisis and the Contested Female Terrain: An Ecofeminist Reading of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birth-Mark"
This article offers an ecofeminist reading of Hawthorne's "The Birth-Mark," arguing that the story explores the interconnectedness of the oppression of women and the exploitation of nature. Qabaha sees Aylmer's attempt to remove Georgiana's birthmark as a symbolic act of violence against both women and nature. He also suggests that the story can be read as a critique of the patriarchal scientific establishment.
"Sophia's Crimson Hand" by Megan Marshall
Ties the character of Georgiana to Hawthorne's wife, Sophie and examines the meaning of the birthmark, sexuality, and pregnancy in the story.
"The best that earth could offer": "The Birth-mark," a newlywed's story by Liz Rosenberg
Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story 'The Birth-mark' portrays a newlywed coming to terms with his wife's mortality and, in doing so, the imperfect and mortal aspects of human nature. The struggles of the protagonist, an idealist who searches for control over nature, is portrayed in terms of alchemy, animism and Emersonian Transcendentalism. The husband eventually comes to terms with mind/body dualism by seeing human nature as its own proof of divinity. This theme would posses Hawthorne's writing for the rest of his life.

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