The Fates of Women in "The Birthmark" Wilson Sullivan in "Nathaniel Hawthorne" in New England Men of Letters states that Nathaniel Hawthorne's tale, "The Birthmark", describes the efforts of "a deranged scientist to achieve total perfection" in his wife by eliminating a facial imperfection. In this story, the scientist operates on the surface level of the physical world, while the woman, the truly heroic woman, operates on the level of the heart and soul, the most meaningful level. It is she who, in her virtue, gives the reader an example to follow, even if she loses her life in the process. This essay hopes to explore the status, role, attitude towards women and other similar issues. Alfred Kazin in the introduction to the selected short stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne comments on the central idea of ​​the author's short stories: "In one story after another, the given element, the central and unifying element, is what moves and stirs within us, the mysterious springs of each of our actions, our “soul” (Kazin 14). The secret to understanding the role and concept of women in Nathaniel Hawthorne's tale, "The Birthmark", lies in the reader's appreciation of Kazin's statement above. The woman who sets a shining example for the reader is a specialist in soul development, while her counterpart, the male scientist, is a scientist in the physical world only. Another literary critic, in "Hawthorne's Use of Mythology," relates his similar interpretation of the essence of Hawthorne's stories: "All that he has to say is ultimately related to 'this inner sphere.' For the heart is the meeting place of all forces – spiritual and physical, light and dark, which vie for domination over human nature. . . .” (McPherson......middle of article......horne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by AN Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966. McPherson, Hugo. “Hawthorne's Use of Mythology.” In Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne, edited by Clarice Swisher, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Stewart, Randall “Hawthorne's Female Characters.” : Greenhaven Press, 1996. Sullivan, Wilson. “Nathaniel Hawthorne.” In New England Men of Letters, Macmillan Co., 1972. Swisher, Clarice. “Nathaniel Hawthorne: a biography.” Press, 1996. Williams, Stanley T. “The Puritan Spirit of Hawthorne.” In Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne, edited by Clarice Swisher, California: Greenhaven Press.., 1996.