2-RAPPACCINI’S DAUGHTER BY HAWTHORNE
1. A FANTASY OR A SCIENCE FICTION
Q. No.1: How far is Rappaccini’s Daughter a science fiction? Discuss. OR Narrate the incidents of horror that take place in the story. OR Discuss Rappaccini’s Daughter as an imaginary story.
Answer: “Rappaccini’s Daughter” is a fantasy. A fantasy is an imaginary story with some moral lesson. The story is also a science fiction because it is based on actual science facts. Main events of the story are based on some scientific facts.
The very first thing that we never see in reality is the growth of poisonous plants grown by Rappaccini and the injection of poison into his daughter’s mechanism. If someone touches his daughter, his death is sure. Other events occur right before Giovanni. He sees Beatrice plucking a flower from a plant. The very moment, a small animal flies near the flower. One drop of its juice falls upon the animal’s head. It loses its life at the spot. Similarly, we see an animal flying around her head but the animal falls down at her feet and dies when she gazes at it. Similarly, there is another event that horrifies Giovanni at Beatrice’s supernatural power. She brings the flowers close to her breast and they wither away. All these unreal events prove that the story is out and out a fantasy. (Words: 181)
2. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BEATRICE AND GIOVANNI OR BEATRICE’S CHARACTER SKETCH OR TRAGIC LOVE STORY (V.IMP)
Q. No. 2: Discuss the love hate relationship of Giovanni and Beatrice. OR “I would rather have been loved, not feared” says Beatrice before dying. Analyze her statement. OR When and why does Giovanni in his address to Beatrice, call Dr. Rappaccini ‘your awful father?’
Answer: “Rappaccini’s Daughter” is a tragic love story. Beatrice, the heroine of the story is brought up in the company of fatal plants grown by her father. Giovanni, a young student of medicine falls in love with Beatrice. But when Giovanni comes to know that he has also become poisonous in the company of his beloved, he informs his beloved about this reality. He declares Beatrice’s father: “Awful father.” She condemns her father for such an experiment. However, he remains constant in his love. Giovanni offers her liquid that can make poison harmless. Beatrice gladly puts that liquid to her lips and dies. In this way, the love affair between Beatrice and Giovanni ends on a tragedy. She defeats every plan of her father. She stands for pure love and self-sacrifice. She becomes a victim of her father’s craze for scientific knowledge and her lover’s wrong judgment. The following words are proof of her sincerity and invoke the feelings of sympathy in the reader’s mind. “I would rather have been loved, not feared.”
3. ROLE OF RAPPACCINI (V.IMP)
Q. No. 3: Rappaccini is a scientist who cares more for science than for mankind.
Answer: Dr. Rappaccini, a scientist of herbs and plants has a craze for cultivating poisonous herbs. The only purpose of his scientific knowledge is the wrong application of scientific knowledge to add to his powers. He does not want to serve humanity rather he wants to destroy mankind through is scientific knowledge.
He is so cruel that he does not spare his daughter and poisons her. He also wants to use other human beings as a tool to make experiments. His happiness goes beyond the limits when he learns that Giovanni has also become poisonous and fatal for others. He wants that they should love each other and be a terror for others. But it is his mistake. He is unable to realize the demand of virgin soul of his daughter – “To love and be loved.” This discussion clearly shows that Dr. Rappaccini is an evil scientist. He works against the rules of nature. He uses all his scientific knowledge for the destruction of mankind. He cares more for science than for mankind. He is not worthy of being called a human being. (Words: 180)
4. ROLE OF BAGLIONI
Q. No. 4: Discuss the role of Baglioni.
Answer: – Dr. Baglioni is a professor of medicine in the University of Padua, in Italy. He is an old and seasoned teacher. He is actually the friend of Giovanni’s father. Giovanni meets him through an introductory letter given by his father. He serves Giovanni with good dinner and also serves him with Tuscan wine.
He is a realistic person and a good human being. He does not support love affair between Giovanni and Beatrice. He also advises Giovanni to stay away from Beatrice and her father and tells Giovanni that his beloved is poisonous. However, when he sees Giovanni in love from head to toe, he gives in. He gives Giovanni a liquid to offer it to Beatrice so that she may become a normal human being after taking that liquid. But unluckily, Beatrice takes that liquid and dies. But it is not his intention to kill her rather he wants to make her suitable to live in normal world of normal human beings. Having discussed so, we can say that Dr. Baglioni is a sincere, devoted and kind person. (Words: 179)
The Killers by Hemingway: https://englishwithnaeemullahbutt.com/2025/07/18/the-killers-by-hemingway/
Notes on English Literature: http://englishlitnotes.com