Complicated Relations in Rappaccini's Daughter
I have never been a big Nathaniel Hawthorne fan. In 10th grade, I plowed my way through The Scarlet Letter despite my overly abhorrent attitude toward it. I complained until we took the final test, threw my book away and claimed I'd never read another Hawthorne work again. However, here I am, four short years later, reading multiple pieces by this very man; what is shocking is that of all the pieces we've read so far, his have been my favorite.
Rappaccini's Daughter was the first time I can say a Nathaniel Hawthorne work has persuaded me to keep reading. I was intrigued by the complicated relations between Giovanni and Beatrice, though from the outset I figured that the ending would be tragic. It seems interesting to note that Giovanni's desire to be with and possess Beatrice is complicated by the fact that a sexual relationship is not readily available. While a sexual relationship with Beatrice seems impossible due to her poisoned soul, it also seems to bother Giovanni that if there were in fact a possibility of such a relationship, Beatrice would be the dominant one. This would be a sort of "death" for Giovanni (or at least his ego). Therefore, Giovanni attempts to give Beatrice the antidote he has received, hoping it will transform her into the ideal woman he desires to fulfill his wants and needs. It seems that though Beatrice is literally "poisoned", Giovanni's mind is as well (we could also note this about Rappaccini and even Brenzo, who have their own issues).
Without his ability to dominate Beatrice, Giovanni is left with that only option of giving her that "potion"; it is his final drop of hope in this tragic tale; Giovanni's superficiality is Beatrice's ultimate downfall.
Rappaccini's Daughter was the first time I can say a Nathaniel Hawthorne work has persuaded me to keep reading. I was intrigued by the complicated relations between Giovanni and Beatrice, though from the outset I figured that the ending would be tragic. It seems interesting to note that Giovanni's desire to be with and possess Beatrice is complicated by the fact that a sexual relationship is not readily available. While a sexual relationship with Beatrice seems impossible due to her poisoned soul, it also seems to bother Giovanni that if there were in fact a possibility of such a relationship, Beatrice would be the dominant one. This would be a sort of "death" for Giovanni (or at least his ego). Therefore, Giovanni attempts to give Beatrice the antidote he has received, hoping it will transform her into the ideal woman he desires to fulfill his wants and needs. It seems that though Beatrice is literally "poisoned", Giovanni's mind is as well (we could also note this about Rappaccini and even Brenzo, who have their own issues).
Without his ability to dominate Beatrice, Giovanni is left with that only option of giving her that "potion"; it is his final drop of hope in this tragic tale; Giovanni's superficiality is Beatrice's ultimate downfall.
posted by Amanda P at 2:05 PM
3 Comments:
What I thought caused Beatrice's downfall was Giovanni's lack of boldness and sense of reason. He was, as someone said in class, just a pretty boy. He was a good looking face with no substance behind it. He let Baglioni talk him into giving Beatrice a vial of poison and cowardly let the girl drink it to see what would happen. He was too weak to test it on himself, to be the first subject of Baglioni's experiment. I agree with you that Beatrice is the dominant one, saying even "I will drink - but do thou await the result" (Hawthorne 136). She is the courageous one here.
a-ha....I hadn't thought about the impossible kind of sexuality in the short story...sounds like the beginning of an interesting gender critique... What does it mean that desire continues to "linger" throughout the story, but their relationship is never consummated?
Is there some kind of sexual connotation to that toxic "aura" that surrounds Beatrice (and later, Giovanni?)
I agree that Giovanni was far too superficial to truly appreciate Beatrice. However, I do not feel that he was trying to dominate her. In fact, it was because of his innocence and weak personality that Rappaccini selected him as the mate for his daughter. He had figured out a way to join the two forever, uniting them with the poison. However, he did not count on Baglioni interfering. If anyone is to blame for Beatrice's death, it is her father, for he poisoned both her and Giovanni.
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