Comparing Nathaniel Hawthorne :: essays papers

Dr Heideggers ExperimentAn eccentric aging physician, Dr. Heidegger, calls together his oldfriends and contemporaries to test his waters of the fountain ofyouth. As the come to himself sits by to enjoy the show, each of hisfour aged friends eagerly quaffs more and more of the magic potion,each draught further carrying them backwards into their shared youth.Having braggy young, smooth-skinned and agile again, the three men beginto fight for the favors of the fourth compatriot now restored to herformer beauty. In the heat of the fracas, they begin to grow tired andwithin minutes the effect of the waters has worn away. Theparticipants in the brief respite from old age are devastated by thetransience of the experience. Despite Heideggers warning that he has versed to appreciate the advantage of age by watching the four of themmake themselves fools, they learned no such lesson and resolve to makea pilgrimage to Florida to sample the Fountain.The BirthmarkA devoted scientist, in a bri ef step from his laboratory pursuits,marries a beautiful woman with a single physical injury a birthmark onher face. Aylmer becomes obsessed with the imperfection and needs toremove it, to be happy with his wife. The tale evolves around hisprogressive frenzy to use his scientific skills to render his brideperfect and the faith of his submissive wife that the union can surviveonly if he accomplishes his goal. The author tells us that Aylmer haddevoted himself, however, too unreservedly to scientific studies...and, in the secrecy of his laboratory he prepares the potion forGeorgiana that results in the disappearance of the birthmark and thedeath of Aylmers experimental subject.ComparisonDr. Heideggers Experiment and The Birthmark can be compared inmany aspects. Nathaniel Hawthorne used many of the same writingtechniques in both stories. Both pieces share two common reoccuringthemes. Also, the symbols in the story know like meanings. In bothDr. Heideggers Experiment and The Birth mark, Hawthorne uses thesame writing style. In both stories Nathaniel Hawthorne writes as arealist, as opposed to a romancer. In Dr. Heideggers ExperimentHawthorne writes about an actual event in history, Ponce de Leonssearch for the Fountain of Youth on the Florida Peninsula. It does notmatter if the Fountain of Youth exists or not it is a real legend.Dr Heideggers Experiment is a situation that could stick takenplace. It is not a fantasy. The Birthmark is also a piece thatcould have happened. A beautiful woman could certainly be born with a