The Birth-Mark

For over 150 years, Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Birth-Mark has captivated critics and readers alike. Dr. Aylmer, the protagonist, undertakes to remove a blemish from his wife Georgiana's cheek to satisfy his own spiritual strivings and to redeem what he sees as a failed career.

Since the mark bears a red tint, it disappears almost entirely when she blushes but stands out starkly when her face is pale. The mark is shaped like a tiny human hand, as if a fairy had touched her cheek upon birth.

Ma...