FREE ESSAY ON THE SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTATION THAT DESTROYS BEATRICE IN RAPPACINI'S DAUGHTER

THE SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTATION THAT DESTROYS BEATRICE IN RAPPACINI'S DAUGHTER

The Scientific Experimentation That Destroys Beatrice in "Rappacini's Daughter"
Most parents would put their children ahead of their occupation at all costs. In many
cases this is true, but for Rappacini in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Rappacini's Daughter,"
his scientific experiments prove to be more important to him than his daughter Beatrice's
wellbeing. His selfishness leads to both the physical and emotional destruction of
Beatrice's romantic aspirations for Giovanni Guasconti. The unique situations encountered
in "Rappacini's Daughter", represent an emotional struggle for Beatrice, which relates to
the different interpretations of scientific advancement during this Romantic Era.
An important theme in "Rappacini's Daughter" is the fear of change and progress, and how
Beatrice becomes intertwined with both science and nature. During this Romantic Era, many
people thought that scientific advancements would destroy nature. Rappacini symbolizes
the destructiveness of science, whereas Beatrice represents the beauty of nature.
Outwardly Rappacini has made Beatrice a threat to nature and humanity by making her
poisonous, but inwardly she thrives on nature's existence. Beatrice's inability to
interact with any individuals besides her father and Giovanni result in her own
isolationism from nature and society. Professor Pietro Baglioni also symbolizes the fear
of change through his intense rivalry with Rappacini. Baglioni is a conventional doctor
who practices conservative methods, whereas, Rappacini practices unconventional methods
by creating medicines from poisonous plants. The competition between these two scientific
doctors escalates to such an immense degree, that Beatrice's death becomes the ultimate
result. Their constant rivalry and human interference in nature's physical and
psychological processes depicts the obvious account of how nature becomes destroyed.
(Citizen Q 1)
Another struggle for Beatrice is the unattainable love that becomes intertwined between
Giovanni and her. Rappacini destroys her one and only love, Giovanni, by making him a
part of his self-centered scientific experiment. Giovanni exhibits the same poisonous
qualities as Beatrice, and cannot return to his ordinary way of life within society.
Beatrice learns that the things she desires can never be attained by limits outside of
her reach. After coming to this realization, she drinks the deathly potion created by
Baglioni, to help ease her sorrow and isolationism. This romantic ideal expresses the
concept that having nothing left to love is a fate more devastating than death.
Beatrice's death seems justified since she is finally released from the desolation of her
previous life which held her captive to science and her father. (Citizen Q 1)
A deeper interpretation of Beatrice's role as a woman is romantically depicted through
mythology. Hawthorne, who was concerned with women's rights, represents classical
mythology by explaining that women are the solitary explanation for humanity's downfall.
This decline is seen through the eyes of the gods, but as partners in humanity's
spiritual deterioration, and martyrs for the benefits of humanity (McNeill 1). When
Baglioni describes the mystery behind Beatrice to Giovanni he says, "You haven't heard of
this daughter, whom all the good men in Padua are wild about, though not half a dozen
have ever had the good hap to see her face" (Hawthorne 1642). Beatrice and the
mythological character Medusa are associated with one another (McNeill 4). Many men
attempted to conquer Medusa, but only few of them lived to see her face because she
turned them into stone at first sight (McNeill 4). Beatrice is also associated with
another evil mythological creature, the Minotaur. This mythological tale relates to
"Rappacini's Daughter", when Giovanni is taken "along several obscure passages" to the
garden, and when he and Beatrice are walking together and stop "after many turns among
its avenues" (Hawthorne 1646). The passages refer to the Minotaurs's labyrinth in
Hawthorne's "The Minotaur" (McNeill 5). The conqueror of the Minotaur, Theseus, voyages
on, as Giovanni challenges to meet the beast (Beatrice) (McNeill 5). King Minos, who
created the Minotaur, takes care of his health and comfort only for the sake of being
mischievous (McNeill 5). Rappacini takes care of Beatrice, his dangerous experiment, for
similar reasons. Both the Minotaur and Beatrice are abominations, are created by their
father, and are pursued by a hero figure who is closely involved with their death
(McNeill 5). Beatrice's feminist role is interconnected with these evil mythological
characters that help to reaffirm the notion that women during the Romantic Era were
considered to be the cause of many horrendous problems.
Along with the mythological comparisons, Beatrice and other characters in "Rappacini's
Daughter" also have biblical references, which parallel to their life's emotional
struggle in the story. Much like chapters two and three in the Book of Genesis, Rappacini
tries to become more like God by trying to achieve the power of being able to change
plants and humans in the garden ("Bible" 1). Therefore, giving him more authority over
the garden and its belongings ("Bible" 1). In Genesis chapter three, Adam and Eve, who
can be linked to Giovanni and Beatrice, experiment in the garden by tasting the forbidden
fruit, which they believe will make them more like God ("Bible" 1). However, in both
situations, the result is not that the individuals become more like God, but that they
are stuck in a dilemma which they have to suffer under adversity that they had not
expected ("Bible" 1). When Beatrice dies she says that she is going where the poisonous
fragrance "will no longer taint my breath among the flowers of Eden," meaning the other
Eden, which is paradise (Fitzgerald 193). Beatrice exhibits the qualities of Eve tending
the Garden of Eden, in which her life is confined (Fitzgerald 193). Science was not a
relative component during the lifetime of Adam and Eve, and can also be interpreted as
obstructing the naturalistic lives of people living during the Romantic Era.
Most scientific development was generally considered to be heresy during the Romantic
Era. Baglioni gives Giovanni the antidote to the poison which he and Beatrice have both
ingested, in order to help Rappacini come to the realization that what he is doing is
evil ("Bible" 1). Rappacini is also striving to become more like God ("Bible 1"). He
tries to inform others that he has a greater sense of knowledge and reasoning while also
claiming to envision their flaws ("Bible" 1). Both Adam and Eve and Baglioni are placed
in new environments, in order to master their own superiority ("Bible" 1). Their ambition
to become something greater relates to Rappacini's scheme of his unhealthy obsession with
science. Even Baglioni understand the limits of science. In the last lines of the story,
"Baglioni looked forth from the window, and called loudly, in a tone of triumph mixed
with horror, to the thunderstricken man of science- 'Rappacini! Rappacini! And this is
the upshot of your experiment?" (Hawthorne 1655) Rappacini's evil scientific ways finally
catch up with him when he ultimately causes the death of Beatrice.
Even though scientific advancements effected the insignificance role of women during the
Romantic Era, some critics argue that Hawthorne challenged the norm and portrayed
Beatrice in a sympathetic matter. Hawthorne portrays his women not as the cause of evil,
but as victims of evil. They become vengeful when men abuse their rich physical gifts.
Beatrice is only monstrous because of what an evil man did to her. Hawthorne indicates
that the reputation that women have carried with them throughout history has continued to
be negative. Giovanni discovers that Beatrice is not the beast that others have made her
out to be, rather that she is an important member of humanity. Hawthorne wishes that men
and women of the future would follow in these footsteps, and helps to achieve his
objective by reinventing Beatrice in a positive perspective. Rappacini's experiments are
used in a vindictive way, unlike the uncontrollable life led by the innocent Beatrice.
(McNeill 5)
The various interpretations of "Rappacini's Daughter" all lead to the notion that
Rappacini is a selfish man, who stepped out of his boundaries in the field of science.
His own scientific curiosity led to the destruction of Beatrice who only wanted one
thing, to be happy and fulfill her dreams with the Giovanni. This short story touched on
many important issues, which does not only apply to the Romantic Era, but applies to
society today. Such as, the limits of scientific experiments and women's roles in
society. The thought-provoking hidden meanings and the combination of science, romance,
and death are the key elements in "Rappacini's Daughter" that accurately portray the
mindset of many people who lived during the Romantic Era. 
Bibliography
Works Cited
Citizen Q. Romanticism. Usenet.1999. 15 March 2000.
Fitzgerald, Sheila. Short Story Criticism. Vol 3. Detroit: Gale, 1989. 
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "Rappaccini's Daughter". The American Tradition in Literature. Vol
1 Ed. Perkins, 
George and Culley Bradley. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1990. 1637-1655
McNeill, J. Dylan. "Rappaccini's Daughter: From Mythological Monster to Martyr." Essex.
April 1998. 
15 March 2000. 
"Rappaccini's Daughter and its Relationship to the Bible." Belmont education. September
1999. 15 March 2000.