Rappaccini's Daughter is Nathaniel Hawthorne's interpretation of the Biblical tale of the Garden of Eden written i9n Genesis. The connection between the two accounts lies in Hawthorne's masterful use of symbolism, diction, and theme. While retelling the original story, he injects malice, rivalry, and corruption to destroy our peaceful image of the Garden of Eden. However, the author of the story retains various themes, establishing a concrete connection between his story and the original. The setting of Hawthorne's tale correlates that of the original story. Hawthorne retains some of the setting from the original story by placing the magnificent purple plant in the garden as the Biblical equivalent to the Tree of Knowledge.
             "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Genesis, II, 7) This verse from the Bible is referred to in Rappaccini's Daughter many times. It is one of the most common themes and represents the prevailing idea in the story. The breath of life in the Bible is really the breath of death in Rappaccini's Daughter. While speaking to the flower, Beatrice says, "Yes, my sister, my splendor, it shall be Beatrice's task to nurse and serve thee; and though shalt reward her with thy kisses and perfumed breath, which to her is as breath of life." (pg. 259) This line also indicates the close relationship between people and nature, which is seen through the sisterly connection between Beatrice and the purple plant. She is said to be dressed "...with as much richness of taste as the most splendid of the flowers, beautiful as the day, and with a bloom so deep and vivid that one shade more would have been to much" Upon gazing at her, to Giovanni it was "as if here were another flower, the human sister of those vegetable ones, as beautiful as they,..., but still to be ...