In the Withered Arm, by Thomas Hardy, who do you feel more sympathy for Rhoda or Gertrude.

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In the Withered Arm, by Thomas Hardy, who do you feel more sympathy for Rhoda or Gertrude.

  The Withered arm is typical of Hardy’s 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 works hard to care for him. The other milkmaids talk about her and they start to talk about the subject of farmer lodges new wife. This part makes you feel some sympathy for Rhoda as she is being talked about when she is still there. Because of the times Rhoda was not at all respected for bringing up a child on her own but instead she was treated as a social outcast. No one seemed to blame farmer Lodge for what had happened. The other milkmaids will think nothing of talking about her business when she is there. This makes you feel sympathy for Rhoda because in this day and age the farther would be forced to help at least financially with the upbringing of his son and Rhoda would be respected for her hard work in bringing up a child on her own.

  Rhoda is curious about the new wife and sends her son of to “check her out”, as it would be. She wants to know what his new wife is like. Hardy gives the impression that Rhoda is jealous of the new wife or a least angry that he is taking a new wife when she is struggling to support the boy.

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  Rhoda asks the boy what the new wife is like and he is only 12 so he doesn’t know what her mother is going through so he tells her the truth about what he saw. 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 doesn’t 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 ...

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