Please describe the characters of Beatrice, Giovanni and Rappaccini in Rapaccini's Daughter.

In
,has created very complex characters in what is a study in motive along
with a study in good and evil, as well as in science and nature. Giovanni is the young ;
Beatrice the beautiful heroine; Rappaccini the exalted but delusional and deranged
.

Giovanni is seeking greater truth but cannot prevent himself from becoming
obsessed with an alluring beauty who appears to be the opposite of the lasting truth of
knowledge because time and nature continually change and degrade beauty. Along with being
obsessed by strange versions of familiar beauty, he also has a bit of a gullible nature that is
easily influenced. As a result, he doesn't know "his own mind." These weaknesses in
him, especially the weakness of not knowing his own mind, become the catalysts by which he is
corrupted and by which evil actions assert themselves as he unintentionally takes a life that is
beauty enmeshed in an evil shroud.

Beatrice, the embodiment of this beauty
enmeshed in an evil shroud, is all goodness and, without the poisons that reared her, might be
prey to the manipulating, harming forces in the world that like to prey upon the beauty, charm,
innocence and openness of vulnerable women. Her father, the scientist Rappaccini, has sought to
make her a bastion of strength against the dangers of life that may bring harm to defenseless
women.   

Rappaccini is a credible holder of a doctoral degree and a well
respected scientist who has taken a strange and unnatural turn in his scientific work. He
devotes himself to creating and growing beautiful flowers that are the possessors or strong
poisons. To do his work, he enlisted the help of Beatrice by raising her on the same poisons
that created and raised the flowers. He created her to be their
caretaker.

Hawthorne explores the ideas of what motives propel each character
in addition to discussing the definition of good and evil along with the question of
compatibility between Nature and science. Hawthorne underscores his discussions when Giovanni,
the good young student with human weakness, becomes the slayer of the evil and poison-wrapped
Beatrice who, while living, was ironically the embodiment of goodness. Giovanni and Rappaccini
become more alike than they are different with the help of the jealous and envious services of
the good professor from whom Giovanni seeks aid and comfort.