A Victim of Love:A Study of Beatrice’s Characterin Rappaccini s DaughterBy Nathanial Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) has been widely known for his special interest in the female characters. In many of his novels, he narrates the conditions, values, and the institutions that surround and control the life of women, leading them to be victims.In ―Rappaccini‘s Daughter‖ (1844), the heroine, Beatrice is created to be victimized by her loved ones (her father and lover). This paper focuses on the term ―victim,‖ it shows its aspects through the development of Beatrice‘s character. The paper also studies a female character in the male-dominated society, to show the cruelty done to her, and how she is considered to be a second rate person, who is unable to live normally, or at least to save herself from death.