Consider the effects of class divisions on the characters in "The Withered Arm" & "The Son's Veto".

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Consider the effects of class divisions on the characters in “The Withered Arm” & “The Son’s Veto”.

When Thomas Hardy wrote “The Withered Arm” and “The Son’s Veto” the times and the way people thought were very different from today.

The economical and cultural differences between the higher and lower classes were much greater than today’s, the rich had the power and were much more independent than the poor ones. These differences caused the upper class to treat without any respect at all the lower class, being hypocritical and snobbish towards the others.  

It is my impression that Thomas Hardy wrote these stories to expose and criticise the attitudes of the upper class.

He probably suffered from being the son of a modest builder and was made to feel snubbed and maybe even mistreated.

Focusing specifically on “The Son’s Veto” and “The Withered Arm” we have clear examples of social prejudice; Randolph forbids his mother to marry Sam due to his low social class and Rhoda and Farmer Lodge do not marry due to their differences in within society even though they have a son.

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We also notice that as women, Rhoda, Gertrude and Sophy do not possess  any real power to make decisions and are not left to manage their own lives:

‘The Withered Arm’,

“ Yes, mother, said the boy.  “Is father married then?”

“Yes… you can give her a look, and tell me what she is like, if you do see her.” 

Here Rhoda asks her son, how Farmer Lodge’s new wife looks like. She is undoubtedly jealous of her, but Rhoda seems to know and follow the non written laws of society and does not do anything ...

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