The Birth-Mark

Based on Georgiana in The Birthmark, what assumptions can you make about the view of women in the mid-1800s?

Based on Georgiana in The Birthmark, what assumptions can you make about the view of women in the mid-1800s?

Look this topic up and RECORD ways in which the views of women in the mid-1800s seem to apply to this short story. You may need to look at the attitudes regarding women in both Europe AND America.

Record your answers in a Google Doc using complete sentences. Make sure you make a full comparison between your nonfiction sources and the short story.

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Last updated by jill d #170087
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As the only woman in “The Birth-Mark,” Georgiana seems to conform to prescribed social norms of the late 18th and early 19th century, which idealize female passivity and submissive, obedient wives. Throughout the story, she unquestionably surrenders to Aylmer’s wishes, and she even urges him to remove her birthmark because she cannot stand his unhappiness or resentment. Georgiana understands the potential risks of the experiment, but she claims she would rather die than continue to fail to satisfy her husband. This extreme submission shows the inevitable impacts of traditional gender politics, which identify men as dominant and women as powerless and subordinate.

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