Isolation and loneliness in “The Withered Arm”

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Isolation and loneliness in "The Withered Arm"

This story was written by Thomas Hardy who chooses constantly to switch your attention by not concentrating on one characters lonely portrayal but the four main characters of Rhoda Brook, Farmer Lodge, the boy and Gertrude Lodge.

The first three chapters are mainly focused on Rhoda Brook and you instantly recognise how emotionally isolated she is, other members of the milking farm chat together about the happenings of the past week in their neighbourhood of Holmstoke but Rhoda does not seem to join in, she is described as.

" A thin, fading women of thirty that milked somewhat apart from the rest."

The use of the word "fading" indicates that she is seen as a stranger in the background and she is ignored because she fading into the surroundings. The phrase "milked somewhat apart from the rest." I believes that Hardy is trying to tell us that she is not a social person and that she "milks apart from the rest" not just specifically at the dairy but in all public places. She stays away from social attention.

It is also interesting how Rhoda does not respond to the people talking about her and shows that this has been going on for a long time and she is used to this happening.

" Tis hard for she, signifying the thin ,worn milkmaid"

The word "worn" shows that even though she seems to be ignoring the gossip about her, its is wearing her out inside and she is emotionally worn as well as physically worn. Rhoda is referred to as a "she" , not a person but an inferior being because of her disgraceful affair with the wealthy farmer Lodge.

"He hadn't spoken to Rhoda for years."

This is a statement made by another milkmaid, this is significant because upfront it obviously means that farmer Lodge has not has anything to do with Rhoda since the affair but also that the milkmaid is talking about Rhoda as if she wasn't there but she is only a few metres away.

Rhoda lives in a small hut not far from the border of Egdon heath, it is basic but her and her son seem to be coping alright .

"Rhoda and the boy's path lay apart from that of the others to a lonely spot high above the water-meads."

Isolation words are used in this quotation such as "apart" and "lonely" and this gives the impression that they live far away from other people and do not participate in social activities.

Rhoda dislikes farmer lodge's new wife and has a vision that Gertrude Lodge is mocking her by showing her the new wedding ring, Rhoda strikes Gertrude's arm and the imprints of Rhoda's fingers are clearly seen on Gertrude's arm in real life. Gertrude and Rhoda become friends and Gertrude is oblivious about why her arm is beginning to wither. In an attempt to make her arm better ,her and Rhoda visit Conjuror Trendle who continues to tell Gertrude whom had given her those marks and Rhoda is suspected of being a witch by the citizens of Holmstoke. These suspicions drive Rhoda and her son to leave Holmstoke.

"Rhoda Brook kept her own counsel about the incubus, but her face grew sadder and thinner and in the spring she and her boy disappeared from the neighbour hood of Holmstoke."
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Rhoda is aware of the ridicule of her being a witch and this is what is making her "sadder" and "thinner" because she is physically thin and sad but she is emotionally sad and her emotions are wearing "thin".

Rhoda's son is later hanged and she is now completely alone ,she disappears from Holmstoke. Only to reappear some time later.

"her monotonous milking at the diary was resumed ,and followed for many long years, till her form became bent and her white hair worn away at the forehead."

The word "Monotonous" literally means that she ...

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