This quote is taken from page 135 of Landscapes of the Sacred by Belden C. Lane. He is describing how Puritans perceived god, and summarizes "Rappaccini's Daughter" by Nathaniel Howthorne as an example.
Falling in love with the sorcerer's daughter also appeared in the Tempest, and I can't shake the feeling it's also cropped somewhere else (besides Forbidden Planet). Father's messing with their daughter's love lives happens often enough in reality. Still, this synopsis gave me an unusual urge to write a short. Why?
Part of the Rappiccini's appeal lies in his name. "Darth Vader." "Voldemort." The names of these villains sound similar and sinister. This begs the question: Why do Italian names sound evil to Nathaniel Hawthorne? Rappaccini doesn't sound evil to me.
Societies tend to demonize those that are close enough to cause offense but not close enough to understand. (Arabs and Russians are frequently villainous in US films. Native Americans tended to fight their neighbors neighbors.) For an England with sailing ships, Italy is the right distance away.
Rappaccini's character taps into our mad scientist archetype, but with a little bit of mad alchemist thrown in. The ironic nature of the garden--toxic, but needed for healing elixirs--adds mystery and and magic. All this combines to make the perfect premise for a story.
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