Explore the theme of betrayal, and how the position of women in society at the time is reflected in each of the texts.

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The Seduction -By Eileen McAuley

Tony Kytes the Arch Deceiver -By Thomas Hardy

Explore the theme of betrayal, and how the position of women in society at the time is reflected in each of the texts.

'The Seduction' is about a girl who has been 'seduced' by a boy which she meets at a party. They sleep together and afterwards she never sees him again. She then finds out she's pregnant. She realises that he had led her to believe that he would stay with her when really he had no intention of doing this. She is mad with herself for thinking that all those 'happily ever after' stories are true.

'Tony Kytes the Arch Deceiver' is about a man (Tony) who is engaged to a girl called Milly Richards. One day he is driving back to Longpuddle, his home. He sees an old sweetheart, Unity, and gives her a lift. Unity tries to persuade Tony that she would make a better wife than Milly. Tony then sees Milly so he asks Unity to hide. Then, he sees Hannah, his very first girlfriend so he asks Milly to hide as well. As he and Hannah talk, he wonders why he ever even thought of Milly or Unity when Hannah is so attractive. At the end, the wagon crashes and all three ladies fall out. Hannah's father witnesses this and urges Hannah to refuse him. She obeys her father's wishes and so Tony turns to Unity who also turns him down. He is left with Milly, who forgives him and so they are married.

In 'Tony Kytes the Arch Deceiver' although all of the young ladies are betrayed by Tony, it is Milly who is the most let down. -After all, it is her who is actually engaged to him. Not only did he talk of marriage to two other ladies, but also he asked both of them to marry him in front of her! Hannah and Unity are also betrayed as Tony mislead them into thinking that he hadn't settled his engagement with Milly, and could still be available.

All three women are lied to. For Tony, lies just roll of the tip of his tongue as if it were natural.
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" 'tis the axle, it do go like that sometimes in dry weather"

"I wouldn't tell 'ee at first, because I wouldn't frighten 'ee. But Hannah, I've really a couple of ferrets in the bag under there, for rabbiting, and they quarrel sometimes."

Both these excuses are really to cover up the fact that he actually has two other women hiding in the cart!

When Tony is found out at the end, he is shocked! It is almost as if he is totally oblivious to his unfaithful behaviour.

"What, you won't have me, Hannah?' ...

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