Gertrude showed Rhoda the ailment on her arm, which is an illness. It had been bruised in the exact place which Rhoda had grabbed her in the dream.
In this part of the story, we learn that Rhoda is a witch and a very strong character that can change her judgment on one very easily.
Later, Rhoda suggested to Gertrude that she see the Conjurer Trendle about what is wrong with her arm. Farmer Lodge believes that the ailment must have been the work of the devil, yet he seems to have been distancing himself towards her. Their relationship was based purely on Gertrude’s beauty.
Gertrude and Rhoda both visited the Conjurer together, and he reveals that Rhoda had caused the marking on Gertrude’s arm. This was then told around town. At the end of chapter 5, Rhoda and her son decide to leave town.
6 years later, Farmer Lodge and Gertrude’s marriage had sunken because she isn’t as beautiful and cannot have children. The farmer is extremely gloomy and silent. He had been thinking about adopting his son from Rhoda because he needed some happiness in his life. Gertrude had become very superstitious and decided to give the Conjurer a second visit. He had told her to visit a jail and touch a hanged man with her withered arm. By doing this, there would be a turning of the blood and she could be cured of her defection. The farmer Lodge would possibly fall in love with her again.
Gertrude followed this advice because she was desperate to win Farmer Lodge’s love back again, but she did not tell him what she was going to do. She had become a lot more independent. We know this from when he told her he was going away on business, and yet she was not worried because it would make it easier for her to travel to Casterbridge. She seems as though she can take care of herself.
When Gertrude reached to Casterbridge, she made a deal with a water-side hermit. She arranged to pay him and he would let her in through the wicket at around one o clock.
On the day of the hanging, Gertrude stood in front of the corpse, she felt as though everything were misty. It was though she had nearly died. Then, through the mist, she could see Rhoda and the Farmer together, who had come to collect the body. It had been that the person hanged had turned out to be their son. It was ironic because Gertrude was to be cured by the boy, who was the son of who had caused the curse in the first place. Also, Farmer Lodge had said he was away on business, but he had also traveled to Casterbridge to attend this hanging.
Gertrude had touched her arm on the boy’s neck, however, Rhoda got furious with the presence of her, so she pushed her back onto the wall. Gertrude couldn’t handle the trauma and fell unconscious, dying 3 days later.
Farmer Lodge sold his farm and stock, and then moved to Port-Bredy. 2 years later, he died, leaving all his money with Rhoda and a reformatory for boys. He had been living alone. Rhoda had also been living alone, where she continued to milk cows until she became old.
The second story that I had read was ‘Stench of Kerosene’, by Amrita Pritam. This story is set in India during the 1960’s. The main characters of the story were Guleri and Manak. They were both married to each other for 7 years, and lived in Lakarmandi. Guleri’s parents lived in Chamba, a village not too far from theirs. Each year, there would be a festival held in Chamba, which Guleri would attend. One year, Manak insisted that Guleri did not go, but he did not tell her why. However, he did not get his way, and Guleri made her trip to Chamba. She offered for him to come on the day of the fair, the day on which they first met, 7 years ago.
Manak had accompanied Guleri on half of the trip to Chamba, but then returned to his mother. When he got home, we learnt of how Guleri has never produced a child for him, which had annoyed his mother. She had made a resolution to herself that she would not let this continue for the 8th year of their marriage and had arranged for a new bride for Manak. This is why Manak had not wanted Guleri to leave, because he knew what his mother had prepared for him. The mother had paid 500 hundred rupees for this bride. One morning, Manak met his friend Bhavani and he had informed him that it was the day of the fair.
The next morning, Bhavani returned from Chamba. Manak had tried to avoid him, but Bhavani came to him and said, “Guleri is dead”.
Guleri had found out about Manak’s new bride and soaked her clothes in kerosene, then set them a light. Manak stayed in depression for many weeks. His new bride had said that she is not his wife, just somebody he happened to marry. Soon, she was pregnant and Manak’s mother was pleased.
One day, Manak’s mother suggested that he held the baby, maybe then his mood would change. But as the baby was placed in his hands, he shouted, “TAKE HIM AWAY! TAKE HIM AWAY! HE STINKS OF KEROSENE!”
Both of the stories I have read were set in rural areas, and seemed quite remote. Although they were set in 2 different countries, they were very similar in the sense of the rural area. Both stories consist of a husband, wife and third character.
I think that all the women in these stories were treated as possessions. For example, Farmer Lodge and Gertrude had their relationship based on her beauty, and he wanted a wife who was perfect. He wanted somebody that he could flash. Rhoda had not seemed up to standards, because she was of a lower class and was getting old. In the stench of kerosene, Manak’s mother bought the bride for money, which shows that women are possessions. It is not everyday that women are bought. I think that the women also hold the men together. Manak was miserable without Guleri, and Farmer Lodge was not too happy when Gertrude had lost her looks. The older women in the stories were more confident and in control though. Both Rhoda and Manak’s mother were strong characters.
The involvement with the women in Amrita Pritam’s story is that they must fit the description of a perfect bride, due to culture and tradition. It is their role to produce children. The Withered Arm was also based on the, because when Gertrude was not able to have children, the Farmer began to loose interest in her and started to consider his other son. It was necessary to have a young and fresh beautiful bride.
Both women who were expected to have children, but could not, die in the end of their stories. They die miserable, as if their dreams have been crushed. But the third woman is the cause for the women’s unhappiness, as well as their husbands.
I think that these expectations of women correspond with expectations of women today. Most women are needed to be beautiful and able to produce families. In these stories, the women didn’t work, whereas today, they have become more independent. They were also not very confident. If the women were traveling somewhere, they were to be accompanied, except in the case of Gertrude who had later become more independent. Originally, she wanted the company of Rhoda, and Guleri had been escorted half way by her husband.
At the end of the stories, I feel sympathy for Rhoda Brooks because she must live alone and work for her entire life. She had lost her son and did not have anybody to love her. I also feel sympathy for Farmer Lodge because, finally, he seems to show that he does care for people by donating his money to Rhoda and the Boys Reformatory. Of course I feel sorry for Gertrude because she was a very sweet character, and she had her whole life ahead of her. She had been cursed without knowing why to start with, and then finally when she was cured, she died from the trauma anyway. It makes me feel as though she should have been given the chance for Farmer Lodge to fall in love with her again. I blame Rhoda for setting the curse upon Gertrude; however, Farmer Lodge shouldn’t have been so ignorant and stubborn over his years. He should have paid more attention to a woman’s personality.
In the Stench of Kerosene, I feel sympathy for both husband and wife, Manak and Guleri. Guleri had committed suicide after hearing the shocking news of her husband’s new bride, I wish for the couple to have spoken. Manak seems to have been very miserable, but it was under his mother’s influence, which makes me feel pity for him, because he must obey his mother, yet he must protect the one he loves. I feel as though he should have told Guleri why she shouldn’t have left, because maybe then, he would have not got married. In this story, I blame the mother for controlling her son’s life too much. Although he could extend his family, he wasn’t able to live in happiness for the rest of his life. He must have also been mentally traumatized about the death of the one he loves.
I think that although today the expectations of women are similar, they have become more independent. More women have put their career first, so they can build up their own life before making a family. The Indian culture is very similar to the old fashioned culture of 1888. If you are unable to fulfill your duties as a woman, you are outcaste from the society. I still think that a lot of men today look towards women’s beauty, because without that, they cannot have a trophy figure to have by their sides. Although, it is also true that men today must also have a woman with personality too. It is quite normal for a man who is of an upper-class, would marry someone of the same class. But, today, we do not have such a major class differentiation; so therefore, partners are able to mix with each other easily. A problem that men may experience though is if the woman has a correct personality or not. In the Stench of Kerosene, Manak seemed to have been attracted to Guleri because of her beauty, style and personality. This also occurs today, because men must not be able to live their entire life with a trophy figure. They must want intellect too. However, with women becoming more independent, men may find the women a threat to themselves in the sense of intellect and work. Manak’s mother seemed more interested in the traditional idea of beauty and children.
I think that the times are changing, and although women still have to be beautiful, it is not always the case, because it could work in the same way as Guleri and Manak’s relationship, on pure romance.
