Feeling Sympathy for Gertrude and Rhoda in The Withered...

Feeling Sympathy for Gertrude and Rhoda in The Withered Arm, by Thomas Hardy The Withered arm is typical of Hardys novellas, as it is a tragedy. It involves two main characters, Rhoda and Gertrude. Rhoda and Gertrude both have their own different problems that the must face. Rhoda and Gertrude become friends after they first meet. Rhoda had an illegitimate child to farmer lodge who marries Gertrude. Before Rhoda and Gertrude meet Rhoda does not know what Gertrude is like so is bitter about the idea of her marrying farmer lodge who hardy hints Rhoda is still in love with. Rhoda is described to be old before her age and works as a milkmaid. She receives no help in the upbringing of the boy she had with farmer lodge so she†¦show more content†¦He tells her that she is very good looking and is also very ladylike. Gertrude wants to offer the boy a lift home in the cart with them but farmer lodge doesnt want to, as the situation would obviously make him awkward. He makes up an excuse that the boys round there are very strong and drives on. This bit also makes you feel some sympathy for Rhoda but in a bitter way as she is old before her time but is intelligent and hard working and farmer lodge has married a younger woman that seems pleasant enough and even tried to help her son, but admittedly didnt know the situation. Some time after the new wife has come to live with farmer lodge; hardy introduces the first hint of witchcraft into the story. The rest of the story is based on the vision chapter so it is possibly the most important and the following chapters could have been different. Rhoda is sat looking into her fireplace and is sat there longer than she at first realized. She sees an image of Gertrude and she doesnt even know what she looks like. She is almost scrying for her inadvertently. When she comes back to, she goes to bed and falls to sleep. Gertrude comes to her in a vision and she looks strange and twisted. She holds her ring finger in front of Rhodes face mocking and taunting her. Rhoda has nothing to do to resist her. She sees her assailants arm stick out inShow MoreRelated Womens Roles in The Yellow Wallpaper and The Withered Arm1219 Words   |  5 PagesWomens Roles in The Yellow Wallpaper and The Withered Arm In the late 19th century, women were expected to conform to the conventions of society. This meant that they were expected to get married young, pure and beautiful. They were treated like objects as if men bought them. How the woman felt was irrelevant in this period. Women were expected to produce an heir and a spare. Women were also victim to double standards. For example, women had to deal with a child out of wedlock yetRead MoreCompare Charlotte Perkins Gilmans, Turned with Thomas Hardys, A Withered Arm2415 Words   |  10 PagesCompare Charlotte Perkins Gilmans Turned with Thomas Hardys A Withered Arm The short stories Turned by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and The Withered Arm by Thomas Hardy both have very different techniques and plots with which they aim to appeal to their audience. The opening of The Withered Arm immediately involves the reader. Adjectives are used to describe the initial setting, and so the image of the eighty-cow dairy, and the troop of milkers, regular and supernumerary becomesRead MoreThe Darkness Out There Character Analysis Essay2841 Words   |  12 PagesDarkness Out There’ and ‘The Withered Arm’ are both short stories. The characterization techniques they use are contrasting and similar. Each story is from a different time; ‘The Withered Arm’ being 19th century and ‘The Darkness Out There’ being 20th century. Thomas Hardy writes ‘The Withered Arm’ as a 3rd person narrative whereas Penelope Lively uses a mixture between 3rd and 1st person.   ‘The Darkness Out There’ combines the author’s narration with the thoughts and feelings of Sandra, a girl belonging