Using Thomas Hardy’s “Tony Kytes, The Arch-Deceiver” and Bill Naughton’s “Spiv In Love” compare the central male character in each. Demonstrating an appreciation of social and historical influences and cultural context.

The word scandalous is used by the concerned Tony Kytes father that riding around the countryside with Hannah, while engaged to Milly, would cause a "scandal". In addition in that stage of time prior to a marriage a legal announcement was made "banns". Thomas Hardy describes the song The Tailor's Breeches: "O the petticoats went off, and the breeches they went on!" as "scandalous" makes the readers alert of the strong ethical values of the time as in modern terms the content of the song would be considered no where near scandalous.

Thomas Hardy uses a wide range of words, which are not common within the 21st century. Words such as "twas", "ye", "afeard", "ee" and "twill". Some of the phrases that Thomas Hardy would use would be unknown to us nowadays. "Nunny watch"(tangled mess), "a struck with the truth o't', "banns" (legal announcement of wedding) "dashing" (smart and lively) and "swound" (a faint). These words and phrases would assure the readers that this story was set sometime in the late half of the 19th century.

Women were often dependent on men and usually their future was decided by their father, who would decide who their husband would be. In the more rural working class women had a bit more of choice to which they would marry.

Bill Naughton's "Spiv In Love" was set in a different time compared to Thomas Hardy's story. In "Tony Kytes" Thomas Hardy uses "The Arch Deceiver" as the second part of title meanwhile Bill Naughton's uses the word "Spiv" which would help the audience decide when the story was set. Spiv is a British slang word, which describes a man who was pretty trickster or a flashily dressed and dishonest looking man.

Bill Naughton's Spiv uses lots of colloquial speech, common to the time and the background: "Summink", What", "Was", And "Bob". A weapon that Bill Naughton mentions is a "Knuckle Duster" which was a very popular weapon in gang fights.

The Spiv liked to "show'em off his women to his mates in the dancehall or pubs". The Spiv assured the readers that he would possibly be prepared to hit his girlfriend, "give her a swipe see, to lend weight to my words". He also says that he doesn't see anything wrong with his attitude towards women.

These two characters share some of the same characteristics. Both Tony Kytes and the Spiv have passion for women. We can prove that these two characters both like women as Spiv says " I can't turn my back on women who looks up to me and thinks I am somebody, even if, what you might say, I cant bear the sight of her other wise, and Tony Kytes was quite the women favourite.

I think that Tony Kytes appears to be the more innocent one out of the two although he is really not. This is shown when he sees Milly and does not want to trouble Unity, so he call her "dearest Unity" and is a very self assured and persuasive man as he persuades unity to conceal herself in the back of the wagon.

Hannah who declines Tony's proposal offer called Tony a "false deceiver" but her father who was concerned about the scratch on her face influenced the decision.

I Feel that Tony Kytes is not a model of the times, Tony's father tries to persuade him that it is a scandal to be seen with when who you are not engaged to.

The character of the Spiv could be described as "macho" which reflects his social class. The Spiv views women as products and loves to "show em off" to his mates in the dance hall's and pubs. Spiv seems to show a very small amount of emotion to his women. Tony Kytes misleads his women a lot more than what Spiv does.

Spiv can be quite comical at times as this is shown when he says, " I don't object to knife fights...but I object to having my clothes spoilt.

In conclusion both of the characters appeal to the audience even though they have flaws. The gentler character of Tony Kytes hides a more dishonest and manipulative personality but both are a product of the social and cultural settings.