The attitudes and beliefs which influence the outcome of the story
             'The Withered Arm' by Thomas Hardy
             The Withered Arm is a novel based in a 1800s agricultural society. At the beginning we are introduced to the talk of the poor milk maids and men who gossip about the richer members of their community, the main person being Farmer Lodge, a rich land owner who is bringing his young new wife back to Holmstoke. They also talk about one of the milk maids called Rhoda. She has an illegitimate son by Farmer Lodge; she is isolated from the main group as she is suspected as being a witch. From the story it is very apparent to how class divisions were set. Each person knew their place in society. The story is almost a microcosm of society at the time.
             Throughout the story, the very different attitudes towards men and women are made clear. Men desire to be respected, they want an heir. It is almost as if they have their wives as a trophy. This can be seen from when Gertrude first goes to Holmstoke, Farmer Lodge says to her "You must expect to be stared at just at first my pretty Gertrude". Men didn't marry for love, more for convenience and their own status; however women such as Gertrude want to be loved by their husbands. When Gertrude's arm is getting worse she says to Rhoda "I shouldn't so much mind it if I hadn't a notion that it makes my husband dislike me, no, love me less. Men think so much of personal appearances." A lot can be decided from this statement. Men were more commonly the head of the house and gave out orders to their wives, which their wives normally would follow without questioning it. Farmer Lodge expects a woman to almost worship him and to do what ever he says. He treats the women he is with, with a lack of respect. He broke up with Rhoda Brook because she fell pregnant with his child. This shows when a woman has a baby outside of marriage they will be looked do...