Abstract
The Birth-Mark is one of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s masterpieces, and it also ranks among the literary treasures in American history. Though the plot of the story is not complicated, the message Hawthorne tried to convey is thought provoking. Symbolism is a dominant artistic feature in this short story. Based on the former studies of the writer and the story, this paper analyzes the use of symbolism in this work, and explores the symbolic meanings of the three main characters, namely Aylmer, Georgiana and Aminadab, as well as the symbolic meaning of the hand-shaped birthmark. Through the comprehensive examination and analysis, the present author endeavors to unveil the complicated network of symbols in this short story and thus help readers better understand Hawthorne’s unique writing style and his attitude toward science and the Nature.
Keywords   The Birth-Mark   symbolism   hand-shaped   science   nature

《胎记》是美国经典作家霍桑的短篇杰作，也是美国文学史上短篇小说的瑰宝之一。霍桑将故事的情节设计的十分简单，但所表达的观点却发人深省。本文将在前人研究的基础上，从象征主义的角度，全面分析作品中所采用的象征手法，从包括三个主要人物形象艾尔默、乔治亚娜和阿米纳达布的象征意义、“手形胎记”的象征意义等方面分析霍桑象征手法的独特性以及霍桑通过这些象征所表达的对科学和自然的态度。
关键词  《胎记》   象征   手形   科学   自然

Nathaniel Hawthorne is an extremely distinguished novelist and short story writer of American Romanticism in the19th century. With volumes of thought-provoking classic novels and short stories，he is universally regarded as a representative of moral and allegorical writing in American literature. And his works have been attracting attentions from both common readers and the circle of literary critics to this day.