Nathaniel Hawthorne Aylmer And Eternal Life

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Science could be considered a mere tool making comfortable sense to the fear of the unknown. This instrument can be used to further explain what is beyond our scope of reason and describe unfathomable philosophies into tranquil terminologies. Although Aylmer has proven to his colleagues and alike to be a skilled scientist, his intellect is overpowered by ego. This is portrayed by his outrageous presumptions to provide eternal life. The notion of living forever is one that has been the pursuit of humanity as well as the fulcrum of Christianity, clarified by John when he writes, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (The Holy Bible KJV, John 3:16). …show more content…
In this capacity, Hawthorne eludes to the fact that Aylmer has the ability and knowledge to concoct a formula that can extend the boundaries of life. Aylmer further indicates his marvelous supernatural ability by saying “the elixir of immortality. It is the most precious poison that ever was concocted in this world. By its aid, I could apportion the lifetime of any mortal at whom you might point your finger” (Hawthorne 651). Nearly blinded by his own pride, Aylmer’s view of life and reality are through his own advancements in science. His distorted interpretation of life, further obscures his judgement by visualizing science and his relationship with Georgina as beliefs to his own confidence. Collectively, “the ideologies of science and romance can both be particularly dangerous because they offer the highly-coveted reward of immortality to their believers” (Eckstein 511). Aylmer’s erroneous truth of his manic practices not only encourages his theology of providing eternal life, it furthers his intimate entanglement of being …show more content…
Science focuses on the natural world, whereas religion concerns itself with both the natural and the supernatural, making their existence together an endless conflict. Scientists can analyze and define the composition of any living organism but still cannot explain its origin. However, religion can. Its practices have been created for a specific purpose, leading to our ultimate happiness and fulfilling our potential as well as conforming to the rights and duties enshrined in our nature. Religion teaches the linkage between man and God through the formulation of a relationship, which secures life beyond the grave. In this short story, Aylmer strives to combine both science and religion with his self-imagined Godlike qualities, insinuating that he has the capacity to create life from nothing when “he had studied the wonders of the human frame and attempted to fathom the very process by which Nature assimilates all her precious influences from earth and air, and from the spiritual world, to create and foster man, her masterpiece” (Hawthorne 648). Aylmer’s experimentation on humans and exploitation of the body addresses his egotism to possess supernatural abilities. Sarah Berry and Anthony Cerulli tackle this idea when they write “the human aspect of practicing scientific medicine and its purpose generates thought about how bodies are made through nature and scientific
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