Who is Aylmer?
a brilliant scientist and natural philosopher who has abandoned his experiments for a while to marry the beautiful Georgiana
What does Georgiana's birthmark look like and where?
a tiny red mark in the shape of a hand on her cheek
Why does Aylmer say that makes Georgiana cry?
bc the rest of her face is so perfect, her birthmark is shocking
When does the mark disappears?
when she blushes
How do most men/women view her birthmark?
Men love it & most women think it ruins her beauty but it might be bc if jealously
What does the birthmark symbolize to Aylmer?
morality & sin
What does Aylmer dream about?
removing the birthmark with a knife, plunging down until he had reached her heart & had to cut it out also
What is Georgiana willing to risk to remove the birthmark?
her life
Where do they go to perform the experiment?
apartments where his lab is
What makes Georgiana faint?
her husband shuddering at the sight of her birth mark
Who is Aminadab?
Aylmer's grotesque assistant
What does Aminadab comment about the birthmark?
that if she were his wife, he would never remove it
What does Georgiana wake up to?
sweet smells and beautiful curtains
Why does Aylmer throw the plate into acid?
It showed her birthmark
What does Aylmer think he can do by turning base metal into gold?
create a potion that would give eternal life
What does Georgiana cry when reading his scientific journals?
she realizes his achievements always fall short of his goals he originally set
What does Georgiana do to restore Aylmer's spirits?
sings to him
What does Georgiana confront Aylmer about when he catches her spying on him in his lab?
not trusting her and hiding his fears
What does Aylmer reveal to the Georgiana after she promises to drink whatever he gives her?
it will go deep into her body and it's dangerous
Why does Georgiana admire Aylmer?
he refuses to love her as she is and insisting instead to create his ideal version of her
What is Georgiana's immediate reaction to the potion?
she falls asleep
What wakes Georgiana?
Aylmer and Aminadab's cheers and laugh that the birthmark is fading
What are Georgiana's final words to Aylmer before she dies?
not to feel bad about rejecting "the best that earth could offer"
What does this story reveal about Aylmer?
he longs to control nature (a god-like control)
What does Aylmer reveal about human nature?
how dangerous it is when the mind operates independent of morality
Who grows to hate the birthmark even more than Aylmer?
Georgiana. She only cares about his opinion. She becomes horrified of her appearance and discards years of praise
