Thomas Hardy: 'The Withered Arm' and 'The Son's Veto'.

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Pre-1914 Prose Coursework

Thomas Hardy: ‘The Withered Arm’ and ‘The Son’s Veto’.

In the two stories, ‘The Withered Arm’ and ‘The Son’s Veto’, Hardy represent the way in which woman were treated and the problems they faced in the social society. ‘The Withered Arm’ is based on supernatural beliefs and a story of incubus, whereas ‘The Son’s Veto’ is much more rooted in realism. The incidents in the story spring from relationships and social snobbery, unlike ‘the Withered Arm’ were the basis of the story is formed because of a supernatural visitation.

We can infer that both women have interesting pasts. From the milkmaids gossiping in ‘The Withered Arm’ implicates that there as been a past history between Rhoda and the farmer. Whereas in ‘The Son’s Veto’ we are told about Sophy’s past explicitly. Another similarity between Sophy and Gertrude is that they are both in someway affected physically. Sophy lameness is natural whereas Gertrude’s affliction is caused by a paranormal element.

There is a distinct difference between Rhoda’s relationship with her son and Sophy and the relationship between her and her son, Rupert.

The relationship between Rhoda and her son, is a relationship of warmth, love and closeness, there is a feel of affection between them. Whereas in ‘The Son’s Veto’ the relationship between Sophy and Randolph is one of an emotional chasm, they are much more distanced from each other. Ostensibly there is closeness between them, but it is a superficial closeness.

‘Her great grief in this relation was that her only child, on whose education no expense had bee and would be spared, was now old enough to perceive these deficiencies in his mother’

Hardy is successfully able to evoke sympathy in the reader; the reader gains a huge amount of empathy for Sophy and the way she is treated by her son. Randolph is

irritated and embarrassed by his mother’s dramatical faux pas. We are given the idea that, because of Sophy’s dramatical errors in her speech, she is alienated from her own son.

Randolph treats his mother with very little respect and value.  

‘Exclaimed’

Randolph is correcting his mother ungrammatical speech. This conveys the kind of person Randolph is, he humiliates and indignities his mother by correcting her when other people are around, this induces commiseration in the reader. Randolph isolates his mother. What increases the reader’s sympathy is Sophy’s increasing solitude.

‘He drifted further and further away from her’

This shows Randolph’s little respect for his mother, he is embarrassed because she talks like she is a working class woman and not a lady, this embarrasses Randolph, and he distances himself away from her.

Whereas in ‘The Withered Arm’ the affiliation between Rhoda and her son, is the complete contrast, the relationship and love they share for each other, shows that they have a loving and warm relationship. They show admiration towards each other and deeply appreciate each other.

In ‘The Withered Arm’ Rhoda is with son at his death, but because of the social snobbery there is a cold distance between Sophy and Son, this increases are sadness, which we feel towards Sophy.

In ‘The Son’s Veto’ Sophy losses her son to arrogance and snobbery, her son becomes an emotionally austere character, whereas in ‘The Withered Arm’ Rhoda losses her son to hangmen, there is still a closeness between them, they have not been separated because of hatred and arrogance towards each other.

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Sophy loves her son, even though he is embarrassed and irritated by her, she shows this by sacrificing her love for him.

The son’s are pivotal in both of the stories. In ‘The Withered Arm’ Rhoda’s son bring her and Gertrude together, whereas in ‘The Son’s Veto’ Randolph tears his mothers and his relationship apart. Randolph plays a much more important role in Sophy’s life. The two son’s are a pivotal central to the mothers.

The way Rhoda feels towards the farmer’s new wife is a feeling of covetousness and envy.

‘If she’s dark or fair’

Hardy continues to evoke ...

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