The Birth-mark and The Artist of the Beautiful Essay Example

birth, endowed her with a lasting magic that had the power to win the hearts of countless individuals. Undeniably, Georgiana herself, without her husband's influence, recognized the charm that arose from her sole imperfection.

Both Georgiana and Owen have their own ideas of beauty. However, Georgiana's inner beauty is overshadowed by her husband's pursuit of perfection, while Owen expresses his concept of beauty through his technological pursuits. Owen tries to imitate the graceful movements of nature in his delicate figures, often depicting birds in flight or small animals in motion. His passion for this work showcases his expression of the "Beautiful."

Owen's butterfly creation, symbolizing his passion for beauty and nature, was one of his most remarkable achievements. He dedicated countless hours to chasing butterflies (368). However, watchmaking did not hold the same intellectual richness and aesthetic appeal for Owen. Tragically, individuals are often swayed by others' opinions, resulting in the loss of their own pursuit of happiness and beauty. This is exemplified by Georgiana, who forsakes her personal beliefs to satisfy her husband.

Georgiana has a charm that can enthrall men. She is aware of her perfect complexion and beauty but content with her only flaw, the birth-mark on her cheek. Initially angry when her husband suggests removing it, Georgiana eventually becomes determined to get rid of her imperfection. She insists on attempting any safe method to eliminate the blemish.

Georgiana, a woman, voices her aversion to the mark on her body and how it makes her feel burdensome. She goes as far as expressing her willingness to sacrifice her life if the mark cannot be eradicated. This passage showcases

Georgiana's shattered self-esteem; previously she had been self-assured and embraced her flaws, but now she considers this single imperfection as dehumanizing.

Georgiana held her husband in high regard and was therefore willing to give up her preconceived notion of her own beauty to please him. Metaphorically, Owen was also willing to sacrifice his creation of beauty for the approval of others. Owen possessed a strong will and an irresistible impulse to express his inner beauty through art; however, his constant longing for approval often hindered the success of his creations. Despite facing disapproval from Hovenden, his former boss at the watchmaking shop, Owen continued to pursue his quest for beauty through his creations.

Owen's family hoped that his unique passion for inventing could be used for practical purposes by receiving training in watchmaking. Hovenden, however, would regularly enter the store and threaten Owen, stating that there was witchcraft in the mechanisms of his inventions. He would demonstrate by using his fingers and thumb to release Owen from future danger. These encounters did not deter Owen from continuing to create more "Beautiful" works of art. Despite Hovenden's constant harassment and attempts to guide him, there was another person who had a greater impact on Owen and his art.

Peter Hovenden’s own daughter, Annie Hovenden, was always important to Owen as they were dear childhood friends. Owen strongly believed that Annie was fascinated by his inventions and was captivated by the idea of spiritualizing an inanimate object. Owen desired compassion and understanding from someone who shared his mindset. When he showed Annie his most personal creation, the butterfly, he exclaimed "that touch has undone

the hard work of months, and the thought of a lifetime! It was not your fault, Annie---but you have ruined me" (370).

The incident had a significant effect on Owen's near future, causing him to experience a profound depression and overwhelming despair due to the failure of his life's purpose. However, one day during a pleasant spring afternoon, an unexpected butterfly flew in through his open window and encouraged him to continue his mission. The pursuit of approval ultimately leads to downfall, as demonstrated by Georgiana's willingness to endure unimaginable pain in order to please her beloved husband. As she followed his instructions and drank the potion he had given her, he expressed intense admiration by saying, 'There is no trace of imperfection in your spirit.'

Driven by her intense desire to please her husband and willing to sacrifice her own self-worth, Georgiana consumed the entire potion. In a moment, the birth-mark, which symbolized human imperfection, disappeared from her cheek. As she took her last breath, her flawless appearance ascended into the atmosphere and her soul departed to heaven, leaving her husband behind.

Georgiana's perfection, both in spirit and in the gem that represented it, became incompatible with an imperfect society, ultimately resulting in her demise. Aylmer's dissatisfaction with the flawless beauty bestowed upon him by nature led to her tragic end. He desired more than what was possible and tried to surpass the limits set by God, a desire that proved fatal. By exploiting Georgiana's submissive nature to please someone she deeply loved, Aylmer succeeded in altering her perception of beauty.

Owen's hope for love and understanding from Annie resulted

in the downfall of his belief in beauty when she destroyed his contraption. Owen believed that Annie could relate to him and appreciate his pursuit of creating beauty. However, when Annie touched the device that Owen had put so much effort into, he realized that she had deceived him - she never truly understood his concept of beauty. Despite this realization, Owen still gave her the enchanted butterfly he had made as a belated wedding gift.

Owen's faith in his external idea of beauty remained intact, even though the people closest to him ultimately proved to be less supportive of his vision. The butterfly's downfall became inevitable when Annie's husband, the blacksmith, forcefully separated their infant's hand. In his hand, they discovered "a small pile of shining pieces, from which the Mystery of Beauty had disappeared forever" (385). The manifestation of "Beauty" that Owen created had failed in a flawed world, crushed by the burden of practicality. There is one clear distinction between Georgiana and Owen.

Georgiana's spirit diminished as her soul rose to heaven. Under her husband's influence, her principles were fundamentally altered, resulting in a tragic outcome. However, Owen remained calm and composed despite witnessing apparent destruction in his life's work, which ultimately proved not to be ruinous at all. He managed to break free from the subjugation that once enslaved him, achieving "the Beautiful" and forever possessing its essence. Both Georgiana and Owen made sacrifices to some extent, abandoning their own perception of beauty in order to seek approval, acceptance, and admiration from their loved ones.

This act caused the downfall of their beauty. Georgiana's beauty was too much

for imperfect nature to handle, and Owen's lifelong creation of beauty was destroyed. However, it is possible that we have misunderstood something important from these stories. Despite losing their lives and the butterfly, Georgiana and Owen's sacrifices may have been motivated by a desire to please their loved ones, or perhaps their intentions were actually malicious.