Foreshadowing in The Birthmark
Aylmer’s dream of removing his wife’s birthmark leads to him taking out her heart in the process because the mark goes so deep. Georgiana has a notion that something fatal will happen if the birthmark is removed yet she still suggests that he either removes the mark or take her life. This foreshadows that the worst will come upon during the experiment. Another example of foreshadowing is when Georgiana reads the scientific journal. She learns that his experiments were successful yet failures at the same time. It might show that even if her mark were to be cured, there would be a defect or consequence to come with.
Perfection can only exist in nature in that the human ideas of perfection are indirect opposition to nature and the two cannot co-exist. Eventually you will destroy yourself trying to achieve it. We saw that since she was born with the birthmark, if it is removed it’s like removing her in a sense. Much like the flower that was presented, Aylmer says, “…pluck it, and inhale its brief perfume while you may. The flower will wither in a few moments, and leave nothing save its brown seed-vessels…” (267-268) This foreshadows the events that will come. Georgian perishes in the end as she does live for a moment after the birthmark is removed. It is a reference to the brief perfume of the flower. Aylmer just had to learn how to appreciate his wife and accept her flaws.
