“Rappaccini's Daughter” (Nathaniel Hawthorne)
Study Guide Name_____________
Do you know these terms?
allusion
allegory
temptress
Discussion Topics:
1. What is the biblical allusion in “Rappaccini’s Daughter”? How does it help convey the message
(theme) of the story?
2. What effect does the setting have on the action and interpretation of the story?
3. Consider the idea of poison in the story. In what way is each of the four main characters
poisonous?
Beatrice:
Rappaccini:
Giovanni:
Baglioni:
4. Why does Dr. Rappaccini give his daughter this special power?
5. What criticism of science does Hawthorne make in the story?
6. Is Beatrice an angelic figure, a seductive temptress, neither, something else?
