Thomas Hardy's The Withered Arm

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Thomas Hardy's The Withered Arm Introduction ------------ "The Withered arm" is a pre-twentieth century short story written by Thomas Hardy. This story was published in 1888 appearing in "The Blackwoods Magazine". The Withered arm forms part of a collection of short stories by Thomas Hardy referred to as the Wessex Tales. The withered arm is about a society in which an upper class man, Farmer lodge; a successful and wealthy man who appears to be in his 40-50s(it doesn't mention it in the story)has an affair with a lower class woman, Rhoda Brook; a poor and bitter milkmaid(30). This is an actual past even in both of their lives but this catches up with all of them when he marries Gertrude; a young(18-20), fresh faced upper class girl/woman. It turns out that Rhoda Brook still has strong feelings for her past secret lover, Farmer Lodge. Rhoda ends up making friends with the fresh faced Gertrude(Farmer Lodge's wife) though thereis still hate there by Rhoda she appears to accept her more due to her kindness and generosity. Rhoda appears to the village as a loner and a mysterious woman, maybe even a witch.She is an outcast. A whole mysterious plot unravels leaving a nasty & shocking ending. This story was set in Holmstoke, I believe that's he based the society of Holmstoke on his current Society that he lived in. This society was very superstitious and class-aware. It seems in this story that everyone was expected to stick to a particular stereo-type, usually depending on their class to be accepted at all in this community. Rhoda Hardy introduces Rhoda as an aging, unmarried woman with a twelve year old bastard son. Living in the society of 1800's rural England. Rhoda was treated as an outcast, not only for her having a child out of wed-lock but for having an affair with an upper class man, Farmer Lodge. To this narrow minded society this was seen almost as if she had

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