Explore how women are presented by Thomas Hardy in The Sons Veto, The Withered Arm and Tony Kytes, the Arch Deceiver.

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Prose Study: Thomas Hardy

Explore how women are presented by Thomas Hardy in ‘The Son’s Veto’, ‘The Withered Arm’ and ‘Tony Kytes, the Arch Deceiver’.

Thomas Hardy found himself amidst the rigid class system popular in Victorian England. Within a society dominated by men, Hardy is able to see past the stereotypes of the time and empathise with the plight of not only different classes, but most commonly, the problems women faced. His stories carried a recurring theme; women from different backgrounds attempting to remove the straight jacket that the attitudes within their society have forced upon them. At this time in history, women were perceived as having a diminutive purpose with little independence.  

The restrains of society can clearly be seen through Sophy’s character in Son’s Veto’.  This story tells the tale of a young parlour maids journey through life at this point in history. Hardy describes her as a ‘young invalid lad sitting in a wheeled chair.’ as a result of an accident in her youth. It was this accident that first sparked Mr Twycott’s interest in the young Sophy. Sophy was a lady in every sense of the word – except the home she was born into: a complete women but not polished and refined as middle class ladies were expected to be at the time.

‘Sophy the women was a charming a partner as a man could possess, though Sophy the lady had her deficiencies.’

 Victorian England’s society meant that people were often more interest in were you were from and your image within society, rather than the person themselves.  

Sophy married the Vicar out of respect for him – not love.  We begin to wonder whether Sophy views marriage as a matter of convenience and that those feelings for someone would grow over time.  She is more concerned over her future and knows that any marriage would mean that she would have a home and a good lifestyle in the imminent years. ‘It would be a home for me.’ The marriage is of convenience for My Twycott as it provides him with a companion to spend his life with, as well as another chance to have an heir to carry on the family name. He had no children from his previous marriage. This is also the first time we see some of Sophy’s personality: the side of her that would prefer to put herself at risk than to hurt other people.

She builds Mr Twycott up to be an almost God like figure who is so much higher on the social ladder to her – how can she say no to this marriage?

‘Even if she had wished to get away from him she hardly dared refuse a personage so reverend and august in her eyes.’ 

There was already some kind of friendship between them and Sophy felt a great deal admiration for him. This was not hidden so perhaps he asked her, knowing she would not refuse him. It may also have been a sense of guilt. Sophy fell bringing him food while he was ill and so he may have felt it only appropriate to propose and secure her future.

Despite this seemingly happy occurrence, to the parish, vicar Twycott had committed social suicide and would therefore never again be respected within the community, even though Sophy had a ‘spotless character.’ As a result, the new family moved into ‘a narrow, dusty house in a long straight street.’  This all occurred after the marriage and ‘all on her account.’ This implies that it was not a move to make things easier for Sophy, but as a result of her uneducated background.  

Regardless of the move, Sophy was still unable to gain respect from within the community as ‘she was less intuitive’ within a cultural environment. Despite her husband taking the trouble to properly educate her and make up for her upbringing, she still confused many words and this ‘did not beget a respect for her among the few acquaintances she made.’  It could be said that her husband was ashamed of Sophy’s poor childhood and little education. He did not wish to be embarrassed in public and therefore took the expense of educating her. This was again more for him than for Sophy’s own interest. Her twelve year old son Randolph is now old enough ‘perceive these deficiencies in his mother,’ and Sophy knows that he ‘feels irritated at their existence.’ Her own son feels humiliated at his mother’s working class background.

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Randolph attends one of the best public schools and ‘no expense had been and would be spared’ on his education.  He is training to be a priest and to follow in his dads footsteps and so Sophy finds it hard to truly connect with her son. He was his father’s son through and through.

‘He seems to belong so little to me personally, so entirely to his dead father.’

Even with these feelings of being sidelined, Sophy still finds it important to devote her time to keeping her son happy and respecting his wishes as she would his fathers. ...

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