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Comparing the Suffering Between Rhoda in The Withered Arm and The Son's Veto

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Comparing the Suffering Between Rhoda in The Withered Arm and The Son's Veto

in the tale 'The Withered Arm' in the story 'The Son's Veto' are both very lonely women. Both of these women and have been mistreated by men, but none of them ever speak out for themselves to tell the men that their behaviour is unacceptable. Women who were treated by men were just expected by their fathers (if the husband is rich) to just keep quiet and be happy that they are financially supported. Rhoda is a social reject. She has been isolated to a small, dilapidated cottage in the middle of a lonely field. Rhoda is of the poor working class. She has received no education and is illiterate. Her son wears worn out …show more content…

Towards the end of the story, as Gertrude seeks a cure for her withered arm, her husband ends up cursing her, "Damn you! What are you doing here?". This shows how the relationship turned quite quickly from happiness and affection to resenting and unhappiness. It also shows an example of lovers ending up in a sorry state as their relationship goes badly, as Gertrude dies after receiving the 'cure' for her spookily withered arm.

Hardy was also very interested in writing about fate and coincidence in his work for his readers. As this shows in the 'The Withered Arm'. Rhoda feels such a strong dislike for Gertrude, her ex-husbands new wife, that she subconsciously grasps her by the arm in a dream. Also, another strong coincidence is that Gertrude is told to receive her cure for the arm by pressing it against the neck of a hanged person. The coincidence is that the hanged person turns out to be Rhoda's own son, who had be hanged for stealing. The son of the woman who seems to have caused the illness, was the same person that offered her the cure, although Gertrude dies very soon after.

'The Son's Veto' presents another moral issue. A lower class woman marries an upper class man. To avoid judgement they move away. When this man dies, she meets a past love, but because he is now of a lower class, her son forbids her to marry him and she dies an unhappy lady. The

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