Merry Lo
EN 141 Literature Types: Fictions
Andrew Christensen
In Rappaccini’s Daughter, Nathaniel Hawthorne presents a cautionary tale in a Christian
frame. Through the use of biblical symbolism and allegory, Hawthorne recreates his version of
the story of the Garden of Eden. While Hawthorne’s story alludes to the one in Genesis, they do
not share a parallel structure. In fact, Hawthorne complicates the story by modifying and even
reassigning roles to his characters. Because of these changes, readers will learn the
representations in the story in a different manner.
Hawthorne first sets the tone for the story under the guise of M. de l’Aubepine. As he
references himself and his writing through the description of the fictional French writer,
Hawthorne states his love for using allegory. He admits that while his works are not “destitute of
fancy and originality, they might have won him great reputation but for an inveterate love of
allegory.” (35) He continues to explain that allegories generate “the faintest possible counterfeit
of real life.” (35) By creating his fantastic imagery with this literary device, Hawthorne adds a
new layer to his story, as allegory “invest[s] his plots and characters with the aspect of scenery
and people in the clouds.” (35)
In order to construct a setting with a religious quality for the story, Hawthorne begins
with an allusion to Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy. As Giovanni arrives at the palace of a
Paduan noble, he remembers that one of the ancestors of this family has been “pictured by Dante
as a partaker of the immortal agonies of his Inferno.” (36) Dante’s Inferno is a journey through
hell, which is filled with recognition and rejection of sin. Readers can perhaps infer from this
allusion that Giovanni is like Dante, and he will commit or encounter sin in the story. In fact,
Dante aligns with God’s love at the end in Paradiso. By connecting these two characters, readers
might wonder if Giovanni would purge his sin and have a blissful ending as Dante. In addition,
in Purgatorio Dante climbs up the Mount of Purgatory, which is in fact the Garden of Eden.
Another similarity between Rappaccini’s Daughter and Divine Comedy is Beatrice. It is no
coincidence that Beatrice also happens to be Dante’s guide in his journey. She represents the way
to purity and God’s grace. With only one allusion to an epic poem, Hawthorne has already
created a powerful religious imagery.
As the story continues, Hawthorne’s diction to describe Rappaccini’s garden strikes more
similarities to the Garden of Eden. In the Bible, “a river went out of Eden to water the garden”
(Genesis 2:10); Rappaccini’s marble fountain “gush[es] and sparkle[s]”(37) to water and nourish
gigantic leaves and gorgeous, magnificent flowers. Among the plants and herbs, there are some
“serpent-like”(38) along the ground. Most importantly, Hawthorne depicts the Tree of
Knowledge of Good and Evil as “one shrub in particular, set in marble vase in the midst of the
pool, that bore a profusion of purple blossoms [and] the whole together made a show so
resplendent, that it seemed enough to illuminate the garden.”(37) However, readers must notice
the ominous twist Hawthorne has made. While the Garden of Eden represents innocence, purity,
and God’s grace, Rappaccini’s garden is filled with poisonous plants that Giovanni sees it “as if
something ugly and monstrous would have blasted his eyesight had he been betrayed into a
glance.” (44) This Eden of poisonous flowers foreshadows the dark negative happenings in the
story.
In many ways, Rappaccini symbolizes God. In his laboratory, Rappaccini, as a scientist,
executes these eccentric experiments to create new forms of plants. He distils plants into
medicine. Rappaccini plays a similar role as a creator, but Hawthorne illustrates him again with
unfavorable characteristics, which distinguishes him from God. In the Bible, God’s love is
evidenced in verses, such as “For God so loved the world, that he gave his own Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Unlike God,
Rappaccini “has [never] expressed much warmth of heart.” (38) Constantly buried in work,
Rappaccini is described as cold and purely intellectual. Despite his devotion and close
observation to his creation, “there was no approach to intimacy between him and these vegetable
existence.” (38) Rappaccini’s notorious manner has changed the image of a creator in a critical
way. Despite his attempt to protect Beatrice from evil, misery and enemy, his lack of affection
and compassion for his surrounding makes it difficult to convince readers to see him as a loving
God figure. Readers struggle to look at Rappaccini’s creations as innovative scientific
discoveries or protection for his daughter. Instead, Rappaccini’s production is denounced as “no
longer God’s making, but monstrous offspring of man’s depraved fancy, flowing with only an
evil mockery of beauty.” (48) Although Hawthorne uses such an important symbolism on
Rappaccini, negative attributes have made him a malevolent character.
Beatrice is perhaps the most interesting yet most complex character. As mentioned,
Hawthorne relates Rappaccini’s daughter with Dante’s guide, who represents the way to purity
and God’s grace. Similarly in Hawthorne’s tale, Beatrice is described highly many times. She is
“human; her nature was endowed with all gentle and feminine qualities; she was worthiest to be
worshipped [and] was capable of the heigh and heroism of love.” Despite her seeming
innocence, Beatrice is also interpreted as Eve, because Hawthorne’s tale happens in an
environment that symbolizes the Garden of Eden. Beatrice, like Rappaccini, is depicted as an
evil character. Hawthorne not only presents her with a terrible attribute and fatal breath, he also
manipulates Beatrice’s virtuous image through Giovanni’s desire for her. Giovanni describes his
attraction to Beatrice in a shallow manner, as if she is indeed the one who seduces him by
“[instilling] a fierce and subtle poison into his system.” (44) Rather than feeling solid, positive
affection, Giovanni is fascinated by “the intense and painful curiousity which [Beatrice]
excited.” (43) He even admits that he feels “that cunning semblance of love which flourishes in
the imagination, but strikes no depth of root into the heart.” (51) This reading of Beatrice as Eve,
who persuades Adam to defy God with her, is unconvincing because there is evidence to support
her goodness. She promises her honesty, as she confesses, “but the words of Beatrice
Rappaccini’s lips are true from the depths of heart outwards. Those you may believe.” (49)
Beatrice also demonstrates her kindness by catching Giovanni’s hand when he touches the
poisonous plant. If she were as wicked as Hawthorne depicts her, then she would have let
Giovanni harm himself. Therefore, readers must consider a more valid interpretation. One
possibility is that Giovanni is the one who symbolizes Eve. He not only falls into the temptation
of lust, but also he lacks of belief in Beatrice and her righteousness. Giovanni finds his
confidence in Beatrice “rather by the necessary force of her high attributes than by any deep and
generous faith on his part.” (54) He then commits the sin of killing innocent Beatrice because he
is desperate to make her normal for his pleasure. With all the evidence presented, this
interpretation is more plausible despite the gender exchange.
In Rappaccini’s Daughter, Hawthorne presents an unconventional version of the story of
the Garden of Eden. Like the story in Genesis, Hawthorne’s tale explores the sin and evil in
humanity. However, by altering the details of various symbolism and allegory, Hawthorne gives
both the Bible story and its representation a dark, sinister twist.