Hardy’s portrayal of both men and women in “Tony Kytes, the Arch Deceiver” Essay Example

of women and the unjust distribution of power between the genders. In "The Mayor of Casterbridge," selling a spouse would have been shocking, but had Elizabeth Jane (the wife of Michael Henchard) done so, she would have been looked down upon terribly. Conversely, when Henchard sold his wife, he was condemned in a vile manner, but he did not experience the judgment that would have been expected had he been a woman, demonstrating society's prejudiced views on gender in the 19th century.

Throughout the story, Tony forgets to meet his engaged fiance in town, indicating that his priorities may be misplaced or elsewhere. Along his way home, he encounters Unity Sallet and their flirtation escalates due to his immoral behavior and excessive charm. As a result, he begins to question his commitment to Milly. In reputation, Unity is considered a "forward girl" while Michael is perceived as a cheat or "love rat".

The theme of reputation is prominent in both Tony Kytes and The Mayor of Casterbridge, a recurring theme in Hardy's stories. Unity's confidence in her looks leads her to continuously boast to Tony about being a better wife than Milly. Tony eventually begins to realize Unity's beauty, perhaps exceeding that of Milly. Reputation was highly valued among the Victorians, particularly for men as it reflected their status and how they were perceived. However, women also needed a good reputation as they were dependent on men to ask for their hand in marriage. Therefore, having a positive reputation increased their chances of being chosen as a suitable spouse. "Your past catches up with you" is a central theme expressed in both stories.

Both Tony Kytes and

Michael Henchard share major character flaws that lead to their downfall. Tony manipulates the women in his life, mistreating them emotionally which earns him a bad reputation. Despite his claims of loyalty, he ends up with the least attractive girl as his partner. On the other hand, Michael is an abusive husband who struggles with alcoholism and abuses his power when he becomes Mayor of Casterbridge. His past misdeeds catch up with him when his wife returns to town. As Tony's story progresses, he has to ask Unity to hide under the wagon tarpaulin so that Milly won't catch him.

After getting into the wagon, Milly was told by Tony to hide beneath the sheets at the front so that Hannah wouldn't spot her. But when Hannah arrived, things went awry as Tony plotted to impress yet another woman. Hardy skillfully portrayed this event as a symbol of Tony's recurrent pattern of chasing after women. Whenever a new and more alluring lady comes along, he uses insincere compliments and flattery to manipulate her, disregarding his previous partner's emotions entirely. This unseemly characteristic underscores Tony's deceitful tendencies in relationships.

The women in the tale submitted to Tony's request to hide as social status dictated their behavior. The fear of upsetting men, regardless of their requests, was prevalent among women, as it could result in the loss of a spouse or partner. Women were considered subordinates and inferior to men, thus societal expectations required their compliance with male actions, even when unjust. Tony's ability to convince them to hide was a product of this societal dynamic.

The similarities between Hannah and Unity lie in their forward, confident personalities. Hannah

is aware of Tony and Milly's engagement but continues to flirt and express her belief that she and Tony would make a better couple. She is bold and confident that Tony would choose her over the other girls, using body language and a soothing tone to sway him. Hannah even asks Tony directly if he prefers Milly to her, making him reconsider his relationships. On the other hand, Milly is considered less beautiful than Hannah and Unity.

In the 19th century, it was unusual for a woman to actively pursue a man and try to steer his affections away from his fiancee. However, Hannah stood out with her beauty, audacity, and strong desires. Her behavior was considered inappropriate. When Tony finally returned home, he immediately sought refuge with his father due to the uncomfortable and heated situation. This revealed Tony's true nature as a coward who lacked the courage to confront the problem he had created. Upon witnessing that Hannah was in charge and doing a poor job, Tony's father advised him to "take control of the wagon."

The intentional statement made by the speaker towards Tony serves as a metaphor for his own life, which is out of control. It is also a reflection of his view on women, whom he sees as inferior and objects for his personal desire. While Hannah was present, Tony disregarded Milly, who overheard everything he had to say. This shows that Tony lacked respect for Milly, despite being engaged to her, and that his superficial nature led him to be swayed by Hannah's attractiveness.

Tony's belief that he is God's gift to women leads him to

have a conceited and pretentious view of himself. He sees women and love as an easily won game. In the story's conclusion, Tony plays all three girls into believing he wants them before facing a critical moment. He asks Hannah, the most beautiful girl on the surface, a crucial question. However, Hannah rejects Tony for two reasons. Firstly, she recently discovered that Tony had been playing around with the other girls in the wagon. Secondly, her father was present. During this time, a male status and standing in society was considered superior to that of women. As such, gaining the respect of men was a vital aspect of life for women like Hannah. She refused Tony in front of her father for this reason.

Unity could have impressed her father and shown personal pride by rejecting Tony, but she chose to prioritize herself. In fact, Unity's refusal of Tony was even more impressive than Hannah's rejection of him. However, Tony's avowal of love for Milly lacked genuineness since he had already been turned down by both Unity and Hannah. Milly became Tony's last hope because he didn't want to be left with nothing. Although it wasn't authored by Hardy, the tale of Tony Kytes shares similarities with Shakespeare's "Much ado about nothing," as both narratives underline the unequal treatment of women and society's expectation that they conform or risk damaging their reputation.

The behavior was considered permissible for men.