The relationship between Rhoda and Gertrude in The Withered Arm Essay

Discuss the family relationship between Rhoda and Gertrude in The wither subdivision.The Withered Arm is a pre-20th century book by Thomas dauntless the plotof the story is in and around the writers imaginary village ofHolmstoke and townspeople of Casterbridge.One of the main themes of The Withered Arm was Jealousy it wasportrayed through and through Rhoda Brook, a thin fading woman of thirty thathad once been handsome, who had an affair with Farmer beat and borehim a son.Farmer Lodge left Rhoda to bring up their son on her own and latermarried a unsanded wife, who was years younger than him, called Gertrude.In this essay I am going to talk of the relationship between Rhoda andGertrude in The Withered Arm.The relationship between Rhoda and Gertrude is a triangular one. It isbetween Rhoda, her ex-partner Farmer Lodge and his wife Gertrude.Rhoda heard rough the coming of Farmer Lodges stark naked wife Gertrudethrough her fellow milkers who were dish the dirt while at work. She then sent her son several clock to go and give her a look she wasmainly interested in the appearance of the new wife. She specificallyasked her son to see if shes ghastly or fair line of battle marks of the birdand to notice if her hand be white or are same(p) a milkers hands likehers.It was obvious that Rhoda wanted to compare herself with Gertrude butwas disappoint when her son came back with news of the new wifebeing A lady complete, and her face as comely as a dolls as she unbroken on asking her son questions like Her eyes not dark like mine?and Is she tall? as tall as I. All the answers Rhoda got roughlyGertrude were so positive that when she heard that Gertrude wasrather short she said to her son with satisfaction, thats al... ...onduct. In business concern of loosingFarmer Lodges love, Gertrude resorts to most despicable cure, whichled to her death.In The Withered Arm Thomas Hardy used Rhodas son to start a nigh(a)relationship between Rhoda Brook and Gertrude. The q uirk of fate inthe spotlight is that Rhodas son, the ill fated boys life mutuallybrought Gertrude and Rhoda together in the first-class honours degree of the story andhis death made them meet again, this time the last, not as friends butas enemies.The boys carving of the chair instead of helping his come cook andhis poaching, which eventually led to his death were suggestions ofhis early and tragic death.It seems that as long as the two women were alive their link kepttheir relationship going whether good or bad, and it was only afterGertrudes death that the relationship between her and Rhoda brookfinally came to an end.