Who deserves our sympathy:Rhoda or Gertrude

Who deserves our sympathy: Rhoda or Gertrude? Throughout the "Withered Arm" the main characters: Rhoda Brook and Gertrude Lodge experience lots of tragedy, and due to this, the book makes the audience empathise with the two of them. The following paragraphs will examine the lengths and extremes of these tragic events, and therefore conclude who deserves our sympathy. Rhoda Brook is a poor milkmaid and an abandoned single mother and Gertrude Lodge, is the rich and beautiful wife of Farmer Lodge. The pain and suffering endured by both characters is evident at different circumstances in the book, hence the book depicts sympathy for both characters. In the opening chapter of the "Withered Arm", Thomas Hardy shows sympathy for Rhoda. He uses the chapter title to demonstrate this- "The lorn milkmaid". The word "lorn" has connotations of sadness or loneliness; therefore, even before we begin to read the book, the title gives us the impression that the milkmaid is miserable and alone. As the chapter progresses, we learn that Rhoda works on a farm, owned by Farmer Lodge. We soon realise that Rhoda is isolated from the rest of workers on the farm. She does not seem to join in with the general chatter of the other milk maids and is by herself most of the time. She is described as "A thin, fading women of thirty that milked somewhat apart from the rest." The use of the work "fading"

  • Word count: 1690
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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To What Extent Do You agree that Gertrude

Simon Everett To What Extent Do You agree that Gertrude is the centre of evil in Hamlet? Throughout 'Hamlet' we are presented with two possible readings of Gertrude. The first comes from the impression of her forced upon us by the discussions and accusations of Hamlet and the Ghost. The second comes from the lines of Gertrude herself. If we were to follow the first of these two possibilities, placing our trust in the hands of a very possibly insane Hamlet, we accuse Gertrude of playing at least a small part in the murder of King Hamlet; this in turn leads to the conclusion that Gertrude is sited near to the centre of evil at the very least. This is perhaps the more popular of the two options when it comes to stage portrayal. The alternative option is that Gertrude is one of the play's few innocent characters. There are two possible explanations if this is the case, the first being that the evidence supplied by the Ghost to Hamlet is unreliable, possibly because the Ghost is lying, the audience of the time would certainly been sceptical about any evidence offered up by the spirit of Hamlet's father with ghosts being more associated with hell than anything else at the time and this would be perpetuated by Hamlet's soliloquy in Act 1 Scene 4 where he himself questions the motives of the Ghost: Be thou a spirit of health, or a goblin damned, Bring with thee airs from heaven

  • Word count: 1959
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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How do you respond to Shakespeares presentation of Gertrude?

Assignment 8 - Gertrude is presented in the play as a 'sensual deceitful woman' who is 'vain and self satisfied' with 'strong sexual appetites' - Gertrude is 'a quiet, biddable, careful mother and wife...a compliant, loving, unimaginative woman whose only concern is pleasing others' What evidence is there in the play to support both these views? How do you respond to Shakespeare's presentation of Gertrude? After reading the play and paying special attention to the character of Gertrude I do not agree with the first statement completely, I believe that at some points during the play, she can be proven to be a sensual deceitful woman, however I think she does this with the best interest of the other characters in the play in mind. Thus supporting the second statement more aptly, with her being known as a woman whose only concern is pleasing others. Although I understand that some critics might agree with only one of the above statements, I believe that Shakespeare's presentation of Gertrude uses both. In my opinion Gertrude is quite perceptive of what is going on around her and it is worth noting that if her only concern would be to please others; then she had gone against this motive by marrying Claudius; who was her brother-in-law, as this clearly has not pleased Hamlet and possibly other members of the public. When it comes to Gertrude's relationship with Hamlet, it is

  • Word count: 1695
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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How do you see the presentation of queen gertrude?

How do you see the presentation of Queen Gertrude in the play? Throughout Hamlet Gertrude can be perceived by the audience in a number of ways with at times it being possible to accept her remarriage to Claudius when at others she appears to be an incestuous traitor. One argument suggests that the queens lawful remarriage to the new king Claudius. One reason for this could be the fact that for modern audiences examining the relationship between Gertrude and Claudius it appears to be lawful in comparison to laws of today. However in Shakespeare's day the Church of England included marrying a husband's brother as incestuous. Another reason found not to condemn Gertrude is the simple fact that she is the queen of Denmark and that her actions should be respected as she is head of state. This backed up by the fact that it seems to appear at certain moments that she is not culpable and that Claudius is the one wholly responsible and has "Taken to wife". Shakespeare never really communicates Gertrude's true feelings regarding the marriage so it is easy to feel sympathetic towards her. Despite this it is easy to criticise Gertrude for the short timescale taken to marry Claudius with it being completed with "most wicked speed". As a result of this she is condemned by Hamlet with him describing her as no better than the pts of society "A beast that wants discourses of reason would

  • Word count: 932
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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How does Zeffirelli portray the characters of Gertrude and Ophelia?

How does Zeffirelli portray the characters of Gertrude and Ophelia? Franco Zeffirelli's 1990 production of Hamlet has Glenn Close and Helena Bonham Carter cast as Queen Gertrude and Ophelia respectively. He has the luxury over a stage production of being able to add scenery, mood and vibrant close up of character to his film. These added advantages allow us to examine the players in a closer, more intimate way and so we can look at the figures of Queen Gertrude and Ophelia with different perspective. Right from the start the audience most definitely depicts Gertrude as the queen and the primary female of the cast, however there is no malice or grim intention portrayed. We open the film feeling sorry for her at her husband's funeral yet the speed of her re-marriage makes us question her morality and quality. The audience is made to question her character by her physical nature both with Claudius and Hamlet, particularly with Hamlet. Their relationship is portrayed as intensely Freudian, from the very beginning with Gertrude constantly touching Hamlet. Zeffirelli dresses Gertrude in a gown with a simple pale design yet trimmed with gold and subtle jewellery and her hair is worn like a regal crown, always perfect and obviously made by attendants. Herein we see her position but unlike other plays her queenly status is not overbearing. Zeffirelli quite obviously dressing

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  • Word count: 1605
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Discuss the relationship between Rhoda and Gertrude in The Withered Arm.

Discuss the relationship between Rhoda and Gertrude in The Withered Arm. The Withered Arm is a pre-20th century book by Thomas Hardy; the plot of the story is in and around the writers' imaginary village of Holmstoke and town of Casterbridge. One of the main themes of The Withered Arm was Jealousy it was portrayed through Rhoda Brook, 'a thin fading woman of thirty' 'that had once been handsome', who had an affair with Farmer Lodge and bore him a son. Farmer Lodge left Rhoda to bring up their son on her own and later married a new wife, who was 'years younger than him', called Gertrude. In this essay I am going to discuss the relationship between Rhoda and Gertrude in The Withered Arm. The relationship between Rhoda and Gertrude is a triangular one. It is between Rhoda, her ex-partner Farmer Lodge and his wife Gertrude. Rhoda heard about the coming of Farmer Lodge's new wife Gertrude through her fellow 'milkers' who were gossiping while at work. She then sent her son several times to go and 'give her a look'; she was mainly interested in the appearance of the new wife. She specifically asked her son to see "if she's dark or fair...show marks of the lady' and to 'notice if her hand be white...or are like a milkers hands like' hers. It was obvious that Rhoda wanted to compare herself with Gertrude but was disappointed when her son came back with news of the new wife

  • Word count: 1562
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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How does Olivier present the characters of Gertrude and Ophelia?

How does Olivier present the characters of Gertrude and Ophelia? Laurence Olivier directed, and starred in, a film version of William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', which was made in 1948. This epic production is very stage-like, with huge entrances, theatrical blocking, canons, trumpets and beautiful period costumes. The actors annunciate their words perfectly in a very grand manner, and some of the characters are rather stereotypical and exaggerated. This film version concentrates specifically on Hamlet's state of mind and his growing madness. It also concerns some of Freud's ideas, particularly the Oedipus complex. As this production revolves almost entirely around the lead, Hamlet, the other characters are used principally to offer reasons for Hamlet's anger and confusion, and to demonstrate his insanity, and the effects of it, to the audience. Laurence Olivier's very first image related to Gertrude is her bed, helping the audience to establish an understanding of how Gertrude is going to be portrayed instantly. At first appearances Gertrude looks drugged and sensually abandoned. She is portrayed in a very sexual way, doting on Claudius. There is a catastrophic relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude, kissing, fondling and devouring. Olivier confirms the sexual nature of Gertrude, focusing on the lighted arches at the end of the tunnel representing female genital

  • Word count: 1829
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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How does Hardy present Rhoda and Gertrude in The Withered Arm?

How does Hardy present Rhoda and Gertrude in "The Withered Arm"? Hardy presents Gertrude Lodge as the Farmers young wife who is very attractive 'Tisty-Tosty', she has clear blue eyes, soft fresh skin, light hair, white teeth, a red mouth but short. This shows that she is young. When Gertrude sat down in the church her silk dress 'whistled so loud when it rubbed against the pews' and as this happened her face blushed, 'the lady coloured up more than ever for very shame at the noise'. This proved that she wasn't used to being posh and sophisticated with the farmer otherwise she wouldn't have blushed, it would have been normal and not embarrassed by the noise. On the night of Gertrude's wound, Rhoda and Gertrude had the same dream that they were both in a strange place but the image of Gertrude that Rhoda had gathered from her son the specific information she wanted from spying on Gertrude. She used her memory and created an image in her head of Gertrude. 'Rhoda Brook could raise a mental image of the unconscious Mrs Lodge that was as realistic as a photograph.' As the incubus of Gertrude lay down on top of Rhoda, 'it was suffocating her with pressure' and it shined the wedding ring in her face. When Rhoda grabbed its arm 'in a last desperate effort, swung out her right hand, seized the confronting spectre by its obtrusive left arm, and whirled it backward to the floor.' The

  • Word count: 1033
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How Far Would You Consider Rhoda and Gertrude a Villain or a Victim?

HOW FAR WOULD YOU CONSIDER RHODA AND GERTRUDE A VILLAIN OR A VICTIM? In The Withered Arm, we see two sides to Rhoda Brook and Gertrude Lodge's personalities. During the story, each of them can be portrayed as a victim or villain. I intend to examine how they could be seen as either a villain or a victim at different parts of this novel. Rhoda can be seen as victim of isolation poverty and loneliness. She lived in an isolated area, in a small cottage away from Farmer Lodge and the farm and worked away from the other workers, so not to cause conflict, she is gossiped about even when she is present. This makes us automatically sympathetic towards Rhoda. We see this in the first chapter, where the head milkman at the dairy has to go as far as to tell the others to be quiet. Rhoda also feels as though she is a victim due to her age, as she is 30 years old she is described as 'thin and fading' Compared to Gertrude who was a lot younger at only 19. She single handily brought up a boy, who is 12 with little money and no support from the father. The father of her son is her boss and old flame, Farmer Lodge, who is obviously not poor. Which adds to our sympathy for Rhoda by implying that he could of easily of helped financially at least in the upbringing of his son. Rhoda can also be perceived as a victim when Farmer Lodge marries, 19 year old Gertrude. We think this as Rhoda

  • Word count: 1350
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Examine Critically, with reference to language, Hamlet's relationship with his mother Gertrude.

Examine Critically, with reference to language, Hamlet's relationship with his mother Gertrude. The play 'Hamlet' is often classified as one of the most complex plays in the history of Literature. This play, by the greatest of playwrights, William Shakespeare, is regarded as 'a tragedy of the human soul, of which the highest and noblest qualities become under the influence of evil and wickedness in this world, the causes of its own failure and ruin.' Hamlet is chiefly a study of character, rather than a drama of action. 'Hamlet' was written when Shakespeare was in the bitter mood of self-contempt and disgust with experiences of abused sex and human vice that came to him after his tryst with 'The Dark Lady of the Sonnets'. Shakespeare digresses from the original story, 'Amleth' by Saxo Gramatticus, with his introduction of the theme, 'Frailty thy name is woman' and its projection in the two weak female characters of Gertrude and Ophelia. This gives vent to his deep internal conflict and dark hatred of lustful sex and contempt for the two women with whom Shakespeare himself had sinned. Hamlet's relationship with his parents, particularly his mother, is the pivotal point of the play. It is clear, right from the very beginning, that Hamlet has a deep relationship with Gertrude, and loves her and respects her immensely. Gertrude is one of the springs of action, and her

  • Word count: 2255
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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