The basic story line to the withered arm was that a lady called Rhoda Brook was partners with Farmer lodge and they had a child together which Farmer lodge just left Rhoda to bring up on her own. Later Farmer Lodge was wed to Mrs Lodge. Rhoda brook was jealous because Farmer Lodges’ new wife was young and attractive more so than her and was also angry because Farmer lodge was not interested in the son that they had had together. Rhoda had a dream that Gertrude (Mrs lodge) came to her house and that she had thrown her to the ground by her arm and had permanently left finger marks on her arm. Later she became good friends with Gertrude and found out who cursed her by a wizard she was shocked and her friendship with Rhoda Brook began to seriously deteriorate and the story continues with Gertrude Lodges’ quest to heal her arm.
The story line of “The Three Strangers” is based around mystery. The central theme is about three men who are totally unfamiliar to each other but linked in a very inexplicable way. The whole story is set at a shepherd’s house where he is holding a christening and a birth. The first man is someone who appears to have lost his way and asks for shelter in their “Chimney-corner”. The second stranger, older than the first one, appears to be on the way to Caster Bridge and asks for a few minutes rest and also sits down at a table quite close to the first stranger. After much drinking of beer and the revelation of the fact that the second stranger is a hangman, the third stranger finally enters the scene but as soon as he sees the second stranger he runs off.
At this sudden outburst gunfire goes off telling the nearby county that a prisoner has escaped. The shepherd and the strangers decide at this moment that they must find the third stranger. The shepherd goes to look for the stranger whilst the second stranger doubles back to find that the first stranger hasn’t joined in the search either. They set out on their separate ways whilst the shepherd finds the third stranger.
After taking him to the constable they realise that the original prisoner who had escaped was the first stranger and that the third stranger was his brother.
In the withered arm, Rhoda’s decision never to see Gertrude again is taken away from her when Gertrude pays them a visit to bring her son a new pair of shoes, as she saw him in the market place and felt sorry for the boy with an old ruined pair of shoes on his feet.
“ In her basket, Mrs Lodge brought a pair of boots that she had promised the boy, and other useful articles”
This shows that Mrs Brook liked to help poor people with her wealth. It was because of this that she becomes friends with Rhoda Brook. The visit to conjurer Trendle is because of the breakdown in the relationship between Mrs Lodge and her husband and once she finds out that it is Rhoda who has cursed her, the relationship between Rhoda and Gertrude also seems to deteriorate. The second time Gertrude visits Conjurer Trendle she must touch the neck of a freshly hanged person to turn her blood and heel her arm and also her eroding marriage. She later goes to the hanging and sees her husband with Rhoda Brook there and it turns out that that the person whose neck she had to touch was Rhoda Brooks’s son!
Looking at both of the stories closely I can see that the element of super naturalness in “The withered Arm” is quite apparent, because there is no other explanation as to how the young woman’s arm could have been hurt. I also realised how the different types of characters contribute to the story. For instance the milkers in this case can be identified as simple rustics and also Conjuror Trendle, although they are normal people in the sense they are illiterate they have quite an important role. Conjuror Trendle has a specialised role within the country life because he has a special power.
Rather the mystery in “The Three Strangers” is not that evident until the last part of the story is revealed. I would not really call the events that take place in “The Three Strangers” super natural although it does have a hint of mysteriousness in it. The Three Strangers also has such characters that contribute to the story drastically; the hangman is such a figure of course.
In both the stories these Characters have an enlightened role this is because they are the people that have the power to heal or destruct, although in “The Withered Arm” Conjuror Trendle has a power which cannot be taken from him as it is a spiritual power rather in “The Three Strangers” the hangman has been given that status to hang criminals for there crimes yet it can be taken from him.
Conclusively I think that Thomas Hardy has conveyed the Super natural effect more clearly in “The Withered Arm.” although in the “The Three Strangers” I had the feeling that there would be a sudden twist in what we were made to believe.
It seems that in “The Withered Arm” after all the events take place it is back at the beginning even though eventually Farmer Lodge dies. Yet in “The Three Strangers” it ends at a sort of contented feeling that the first stranger gets away without being executed and it also has a disappointing ending because the third stranger does not meet his brother again.
By Nazia. A. Gani
