Compare the female characters in each story. What are the differences and similarities between the ways they react to the male characters?

Lawrence Litsardopoulos

English Coursework

Compare the female characters in each story. What are the differences and similarities between the ways they react to the male characters? What do these responses tell us about the women and their ideas bout love? What does this tell you about the position of women in society then?

The stories that I studied I felt were mostly about relationships some of which work but sometimes they don’t. It did show however that different attitudes can change circumstances for instance if you have a positive attitude things can be perceived differently than if you have a negative attitude. Many people want personal gain from a relationship, which doesn’t make a sound relationship where trust is important.

In the first example the main character was Rhoda Brook and her relationship with Farmer Lodge. The social standing of the two main characters were different, which in those days was much more pronounced than it is in today’s society. Rhoda was of a much lower standing in society than Farmer Lodge, she was obviously in awe of him and their relationship developed. She unfortunately had a child by him which would have been in those days a very sensitive issue as their social standing would probably not have allowed Farmer Lodge to have married Rhoda even if he had wanted to. Rhoda believed herself to be in love and that Farmer lodge would marry her but this never happened. She was maybe disillusioned with him.

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Tony Kytes had relationships with Unity and Hannah you would have probably called him a philanderer in days gone by. Both Unity and Hannah competed for his attention. Unity thought she could be clever and manipulate Tony but he was manipulating all of them. Tony was probably ‘a good catch’ and in days gone by the woman was not allowed to think for themselves but just to find a good eligible and wealthy husband. Milly however seems to really care and would be the one who would forgive him this could be misinterpreted to be either hopelessly in love or maybe gullible. Sophy who was recently widowed was manoeuvred into going with the vicar because of social standing but she really wanted to be with Sam Hobson. She felt under the circumstances that she had no other choice.

In days gone by there were very few women that stood up for themselves they were worried that they may loose their partner/husband they were totally focused on getting married and settling down for the rest of their life. But relationships are difficult and many people in the book have had a problem with this.

Many of the women’s problems are about being seen as always attractive especially Gertrude. When her arm was disfigured she isn’t bothered for herself but is so distressed that her husband will find her unattractive that she hides it from him. Women were and still are in the mind that men think so much of personal appearance. If her husband truly cared he would have helped here through this situation, not thinking of how she looked at the time, because love should be beyond that factor.

Many women including Gertrude are interested in the social and money status. As she was young and attractive Farmer Lodge was aware that she could probably find someone better looking, so he relied on his position and money to influence the situation. He was a very insecure man and relied upon his status and money in society to find a woman. It seems that women would say yes to the first man that asked her to marry them whether they wanted to or not. For example Sophy she didn’t want to be a liability to her family so she took the first man who offered her marriage who was the vicar. Class was a big issue and social standing was very important. So when Sophy wanted to go back to Sam her son didn’t want her to, as she would be going back to her inferior standing. Male attitudes were to keep their reputation and be superior to the women regardless of the women’s feelings.

The status of women was far below the men in these short stories they had to pamper to their needs maybe for money or for social standing. Women found it difficult to have any standing in that society unless they had money independently of any man, which was very rare. There social standing either came from their husbands or Fathers.

The society of early days meant that women played a very subservient role to the males. Maybe they were not educated as the men were which made them reliant upon the men for their status and social standing they had no independence. Many did not find happiness because they did not really know what they wanted. Social and financial status influenced the way that they felt and clouded their judgement. They were not given the opportunity to be impendent and make their own decisions. Classes were different and unless you came from a high social family you were not educated and so their social standing was of low class.