'Rhoda and Gertrude suffer equally, but in different ways. How far do you agree with this statement?'

Daniel Godfrey Mrs. RH Churchill

Coursework 29th of January

The Withered Arm- Thomas Hardy

'Rhoda and Gertrude suffer equally, but in different ways. How far do you agree with this statement?'

Although it is arguable whether Rhoda and Gertrude suffer equally, I agree that they suffer in different ways. They both struggle unsuccessfully to gain Farmer Lodge's love although neither gains this,although they both go o great lenghs to try to achieve this feat. I think that Rhoda and Gertrude suffer constantly throughout the story, which is ironic as they are the cause for most of each others suffering.I feel that Thomas Hardy’s potrayal of the suffering of the characters is both sarcastic and cynical. After reading the story it is obvious that suffering and unrequited love is the theme. This love is present in both the characters.

In the beginning of the story we are introduced to Rhoda Brook. It starts in a field, with milkmaids talking while milking the cows.

‘The discussion waxed so warm that the purr of the milk-streams became jerky, till a voice from another cow's belly cried with authority, "Now then, what the Turk do it matter to us about Farmer Lodge's age, or Farmer Lodge's new mis'ess! I shall have to pay him nine pound a year for the rent of every one of these milchers, whatever his age or hers. Get on with your work, or 'twill be dark before we have done. The evening is pinking in a'ready." This speaker was the dairyman himself, by whom the milkmaids and men were employed.’

From this statement,It is obvious that Rhoda is connected to Farmer Lodge as the milkmaids try to shield her from the knowledge of Farmer Lodge's new wife. This is possibly the first sign of suffering. It is obvious that Rhoda feels hurt that she hears the news from a fellow worker and not her ex-lover. Throughout the paragraph we learn more about Rhoda's past and makes the reader feel for her. She had an affair with Farmer Lodge and bore him a son. Soon after, he discarded them although she still harbored strong feelings for him. This added to her sense of loss as she still entertained hopes of regaining his affection:

‘When he reached home his mother said "Well? before he had entered the room."She is not tall. She is rather short," he replied.

"Ah!" said his mother, with satisfaction’

This reinforcing the idea of Rhoda still bearing feelings for Farmer Lodge,through the jealousy she seems to show by interrogating her son for news of the young bride.

We are first introduced to Gertrude while traveling with her new husband. She soon encounters a young boy, Rhoda's son. It's possible that she becomes annoyed with Farmer Lodge over his reluctance to comment on the

boy. I feel that this is ...

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‘When he reached home his mother said "Well? before he had entered the room."She is not tall. She is rather short," he replied.

"Ah!" said his mother, with satisfaction’

This reinforcing the idea of Rhoda still bearing feelings for Farmer Lodge,through the jealousy she seems to show by interrogating her son for news of the young bride.

boy. I feel that this is the first time Gertrude senses a connection between the two. She views him as a potential threat as she sees it possible that he could come between her and her new husband. I feel that coming into a new area having no friends makes Gertrude feel uncomfortable, more so being the talk of the town.

‘He knows who we are, no doubt?""Oh yes. You must expect to be stared at just at first, my Pretty Gertrude”’

This statement conveys Gertrude’s mild surprise but also potrays the callousness of Farmer Lodge by his response to her question.I feel the isolation makes Gertrude weary of everyone around her.This feeling is somewhat diminished by her befriending Rhoda Brook.

From the first news of Gertrude, Rhoda draws comparisons with herself in every aspect. She interrogates her son on her appearance although she is too proud to view Gertrude herself. She is especially interested in her height, which shows how her attitude changes from this. At first she is interested purely for the reason of jealousy but her views change after she speaks and becomes friends with Gertrude. Soon after this she has a weird dream involving Gertrude. She suspects that she has somehow cursed Gertrude unintentionally. The prediction is realised soon after Gertrude's arm becomes disfigured. This causes Rhoda immense guilt as she has done this to Gertrude. She is remorseful and annoyed with herself that she harbored such feelings towards Gertrude as to unconsciously cause this ailment.

As Gertrude's arm slowly shrivels, she is caused mental pain as well as physical. She is seemingly discarded by Farmer Lodge, which draws comparisons with Rhoda previous affair with him.I feel that this conveys how alike Gertude and Rhoda are,which leads the reader to believe that the story shall end in much the same way, Gertrude losing his affection. She is annoyed at her husband's lack of enthusiasm for trying to cure her arm. This leads to Gertrude becoming isolated from her husband by trying thousands of remedies and ancient potions. It becomes an obsession for Gertrude, more so after all her attempts fail miserably at achieving her goal. In this period of the story, Gertrude is blinded from Farmer Lodge's detestation of her condition. This becomes apparent from hearing how Gertrude has grown out of favor with her husband. The statement reinforces this idea that he had promised her a ladies horse in one of the stables when they were wed but never bought one.

After visiting Conjuror Trendle, Rhoda has a sense of both triumph and remorse. She has caused the ailment on Gertrude yet has befriended her and now feels ashamed of her doings. Rhoda somehow senses that Gertrude knows it was she, especially after her response to Rhoda on their way back home. This signifies a change in character for both of them. In my opinion,

Rhoda is torn between two feelings Her feeling of bitterness towards her rival and deep repentance towards her friend. It's hard to actually decipher

Rhoda's feelings towards Gertrude, as there are many mixed feelings between them.

Having gained the knowledge of her enemy as Rhoda, Gertrude is surprisingly calm. She feels betrayal by Rhoda's hidden agenda but does not air these opinions but keeps them secret. This is the first sign that Gertrude is up to something and greatly contrasts the naive image she once had. After visiting Conjuror Trendle alone, Gertrude is disgusted by his suggestion for a cure. Her agreeing to it portrays Gertrude's commitment towards restoring her arm. After returning, she suffers helplessness due to the fact that Farmer

Lodge hastily dismisses all kinds of witchcraft and folklore. This really

Amplifies the feeling Gertrude has of isolation and struggling alone. She starts to pray for someone to die, a prayer that disgusts her in wanting another human being to cease to live so she could cure her ailment.

As Gertrude's first opportunity arrives, she finds herself too late and disappointed. This adds to the horrific state of anticipation, which she bears for months. Farmer Lodges sudden departure states subtly that something is going to happen. She makes it to the prison and sets about getting a touch of the corpse.The realistation that Gertrude is going to touch the corpse reinforces the change in her personality

‘“Oh, thank you! I would rather do it this way, as I should like it kept private.""Lover not to know, eh?""No — husband.” "Aha! Very well. I'll get 'ee a touch of the corpse”’

This statement helps state the magnitude of her obsession,that she would prefer not for her husband to know and that she intends to touch the corpse.

She achieves this without too much difficulty but then encounters Rhoda and Farmer Lodge. Rhoda's reaction is clear and pure outrage. The woman who came between her and her ex-lover in life comes between them in death too. She reacts violently to this and throws Gertrude against a wall.

This and the legendary problem of 'broken heart' killed Gertrude. Gertrude spends the last moments of her life, betrayed and foiled. Her months of planning have come to this. She feels betrayed by Farmer Lodge's dishonesty and feels that this could have been avoided. Rhoda lives the rest of her life in seclusion, away from civilization. She takes herself out of the local community as if punishing herself for the previous problems. She dies without love or friendship, much like Gertrude.

I feel it is hard to compare both their suffering as equal as they both suffer differently.On one hand Rhoda suffers more mental pain but on the other Gertrude suffers this and physical pain. In my opinion,to agree with the statement would be to agree that mental anguish and physical pain are equal. Overall, I agree statement.Gertrude dies with the burden of her doingd but Rhoda must live with hers Therefore I think that I would agree lightly with the statement although to do so would be stating that physical and mental pains are equal. On the other hand, I do strongly agree with the fragment of the statement that they suffer in different ways, although they are the cause for most of each other's dismay. I feel that the two characters go through a lot of suffering for the love of one man, a love that I feel neither of them receives.I feel that the writers sarcasm is evident towards the end of the story,by judging the society of the time, where male dominance was evident.