The Birthmark

Even though Aylmer isn’t evil, he is nevertheless despicable and sinister because he considers himself an apt judge of his wife’s moral fiber. In this passage, we see that Aylmer doesn’t merely want to wipe away the physical birthmark on his wife’s cheek. If that were his aim, he would use the “powerful cosmetic” that he claims can wipe away freckles as if they were specks of dirt. Because he has become convinced that the mark is merely the external evidence of some deep moral and spiritual rot, he believes the so-called remedy must be applied internally. As we read the passage, we realize with mounting horror that Aylmer has become a madman. He no longer sees Georgiana’s birthmark as a minor physical defect but as a terrifying symbol of death and sin.

This quotation investigates the myriad problems inherent in Aylmer’s quest for perfection. Although Aylmer has managed to con Georgiana into believing that she isn’t worthy of his affection, the narrator reveals here that Aylmer’s insistence on perfection is insane. In fact, this passage makes it clear that even total perfection wouldn’t satisfy him. Georgiana realizes that if she managed to satisfy his demands, her triumph would last only “for a single moment.” After that, he would want still more from her. The removal of the birthmark is something of an artificial goal, and the narrator suggests that Aylmer wouldn’t be happy even if she’d never had the birthmark in the first place. His lust for flawlessness will never be sated—he has become deranged.