The Extremes of Ambition Throughout the ages, men have proven themselves subservient to the infamous power of their desires. Men like the main characters in the gothic tales "The Oval Portrait" by Edgar Allen Poe and "The Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, sacrifice irreplaceable factors of life to satisfy their compulsion. As their monomania drives them, the stories' most important characters let their greed engulf their morality. Aylmer and the artist lose their logic as they get closer to success, which is why both women had to suffer in the end. Both Hawthorne and Poe use the elements of figurative language, symbolism, and character motivation to demonstrate that the relentless pursuit of one's passion can lead to the destruction of others. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayBoth stories use figurative language to convey how the persistent pursuit of one's desire can lead to the annihilation of others. The use of irony is immense in Poe's work because he plays with the idea of ​​bringing the painting to life while the woman is dying. The artist neglects his wife and pays attention to his art only to the point of creating a masterpiece, but at what cost? The woman pretends to be a good soldier and sacrifices herself for that one masterpiece. Her obsession slowly drains her life until she is nothing more than a cold corpse next to the vibrant painting. The artist describes the art as "'This is life itself!' He suddenly turned to look at his beloved: --- she was dead!" Not only is it ironic that the girl died at the highest point of wonder that the painting is at, but the use of the word "beloved" is also ironic. Throughout the story, it is evident that the painter had chosen art over love for his wife, so it is ironic to see him show affection once she dies. In Hawthorne's tale, irony is also essential to the pessimistic development of the story. Aylmer describes himself as a powerful and incredible man of science who can do anything if he wants. After realizing his strange fixation with his wife's birthmark, Aylmer's logic and reasoning abandon him completely. It is ironic that Aminadab, the brutal assistant, is the one able to see the effect of removing the birthmark. He can see beyond greed while the great Aylmer cannot foresee such an immense conclusion. Aminadab says, “I would never part with that desire.” Aminabad is the only one who understands the meaning of the birthmark. Aylmer's compulsion consumes him to the point that he becomes a mad scientist and neglects Georgina's feelings and safety. Ultimately, Aylmer manages to remove the birthmark, but in doing so he has also pushed his wife away from his side. Both authors used irony to exemplify the drastic effects that extreme obsession has on people and how their actions can greatly affect those around them. In the stories of Poe and Hawthorne, the use of symbolism is vital when it comes to conveying the theme of how obsession with one's passion can lead to the downfall of others. In the "Oval Portrait", Poe has the painting itself as a symbol of the artist's selfishness. The artist is very proud of this piece and even goes so far as to ignore his wife in order to paint it. The finished painting is the exemplary illustration of how selfish he must be to not worry about his wife during the trial. Poe states that "The painter was entranced by the work he had created." During the period of his fascination, the artist could havepay attention to his loved one, but instead showed even more affection for his art. He let his wife sacrifice herself for his passion and was never grateful for it. In "The Birthmark", Hawthorne uses Aminadab as a symbol of nature and Aylmer as a symbol of science, both of which are at war with each other. Aminadab possesses characteristics of nature such as the way he acts as if he knows something that Aylmer does not. Aylmer is obsessed with science and its credibility so much so that he becomes to some extent the epitome of a man of science. Aminadab is very down to earth and somewhat peculiar, but it would be ignorant to deny that Aminadab is the only one who respects the urge and is logical about the situation. Aminadab portrays himself "With his vast strength, his disheveled hair, his smoky countenance... [Aminadab] seemed to represent the physical nature of man; while Aylmer's slender figure and pale, intellectual face, were not less suited to represent the spiritual element.” Aminadab prefers to let everything go its own way while Aylmer is too impatient and chaotic. In the end, Georgina had to pay the price because of Aylmer's scholarly ambition , and this is why Aminadab laughs when Georgina dies and Aylmer is surprised despite the obvious signs Edgar Allen Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne are very good at using symbolism to continue the development of stories and also express the negative effects that fixation can have. .Both authors use character motivation to convey the theme they have, incessant compulsion with one's passion can lead to the demise of others The only thing that motivates the character in Poe's story is his art. The artist wants to be able to paint a masterpiece without keeping in mind that the inspiration behind the art is human being who has needs. His motivation becomes his priority, which is why he only discovers his wife's corpse when he has finally finished his masterpiece. Poe writes that the artist often "speaks of his desire to also portray his young bride." The painter's wife is notable for her youth and beauty, but he did not care. Instead, he was interested in illustrating that freshness and charm in his art. Due to his carelessness and the fact that the woman dies as a result of his actions, the illustrator proves to be selfish. In Hawthorne's story, Aylmer's motivation is not only to remove the birthmark from Georgina as he believes it is disgusting, but his motivation is also to save his career. Aylmer makes himself out to be the greatest living scientist when in reality all of his successful ventures have been the result of failures. It's strange to think that Aylmer goes through all these problems just to remove a birthmark. His actions and anxious behavior give the impression that being successful in this experiment is a matter of his ego. As Georgina read Aylmer's diary she noted that "much as he achieved, he could not help observing that his most splendid successes were almost invariably failures, when compared with the ideal at which he aimed. His brightest diamonds were simple pebbles, and felt it alone." If Aylmer succeeded in this experiment, he would no longer feel like he couldn't do something in the first place. His motivation is to regain his pride, even if it means breaking a few plates along the way. Ultimately, Aylmer loses his wife to science and is left alone to reflect on his actions. Poe and Hawthorne describe their main characters as selfish men who are not grateful for what they have and instead go elsewhere to find motivation in life. Their wives are left to their own devices, which they ultimately cannot and die at their own hands.