There are many other feelings, which accompany marriage such as jealousy. We see the grandfather in “Flight” is jealous of Steven and the attention, which he is being given by Alice.
Grandfather: “Waiting for Steven hey? Think you can leave home? Think you can go running around the fields at night?”
Perhaps the grandfather has never felt loved before and is trying to hold on to Alice when he realises that it is too late. Also he may feel that as he grows older his physical powers are declining and he is no longer able to keep Alice in that way. He tries to belittle Steven and jeopardise his relationship with Alice, saying that she could do better. Many would think that if he truly loved Alice then he would want her to be happy and in fact believe her when she said that she loved him. (“Her defiant but anxious young body stung him into love and repentance” {referring to Alice})
Rhoda Brook feels jealous of Gertrude, as she has not got the life of a married woman, which she would have liked to have with Mr Lodge and also of Gertrude’s relatively high position in society. She feels envious of this and tries to compare herself to Gertrude, deep down feeling that she should be in her place.
Rhoda: “ I go see her! I wouldn’t look up at her if she were to pass my window this instant.” (This quote shows the great resentment, which Rhoda has for Gertrude)
Rhoda made such comments as “Does she have hands that look like they have been worked as mine do”, obviously thinking that Gertrude is nothing but a young rich man’s daughter who has been waited on hand and foot all of her life.
Marriage was very much an important part of life in Thomas Hardy’s time. Marriage represented security, stability and most of all status. To have a child out of wedlock as a result of an affair, as Rhoda Brook found herself, would mean no real place in society. An example of status in the story would be the fact that Mr Lodge seemed to ignore the boy whom he knew was his son
The importance of marriage in “Flight” is less severe. With no real need to get married at such a young age, Alice’s grandfather tries to persuade her that she has a long life ahead of her and plenty of time to settle down and have a family. She would have the time to consider a career maybe, something which would not have been available in Thomas Hardy’s time.
The relationship between Alice and Steven is more of a loving nature, rather than the idea of a personal possession, which Mr Lodge has of Gertrude. For example when Gertrude discovers her damaged arm she says of how Mr Lodge would not even glance at her let alone touch her. In Thomas Hardy’s time, not all marriages were about relationships but some were all to do with convenience. The wives were someone to have children so the husband could have an heir to his estate or fortunes within the higher classes.
Marriage seemed to be the cause of the breakdown in relationships with occurred in both of the stories.
I do think that Farmer Lodge did genuinely feel affection towards Gertrude, yet there seems to be a strong feeling throughout the story of a past relationship between Rhoda and him self. It is apparent that he still feels for her when he assists her when he hears of the trouble his son has got himself into.
The grandfather and the relationship, which he had with his granddaughter Alice was put under strain when he was told that she was to marry Steven. We saw him become bitter and vengeful towards Alice, just because he was hurting inside.
The most significant relationship breakdown was the one of Gertrude and Mr Lodge. I think that maybe one of the causes of this was because of course Gertrude’s withered arm. To Mr Lodge this was a disability and as she became weaker and weaker Gertrude was unable to give Mr Lodge a child. There is also the issue of social pressures, with Gertrude feeling that she was far from the perfect wife. Gertrude seemed scared to ask for her husband’s help when it came to her arm and so she took it on herself to take the advice of Conjuror Trendle and touch the dead corpse that will apparently help her.
The constitution of marriage itself was not to blame for the problems, which arose in the story, but the feelings of the people around. The jealousy, envy and anger were the soul offenders that cause strain, which resulted in the breakdown and destruction of relationships.
