Thomas Hardy, ‘Tony Kytes, the Arch Deceiver’ and Charlotte Perkins Gilman ‘Turned’ Essay Example
Thomas Hardy, ‘Tony Kytes, the Arch Deceiver’ and Charlotte Perkins Gilman ‘Turned’ Essay Example

Thomas Hardy, ‘Tony Kytes, the Arch Deceiver’ and Charlotte Perkins Gilman ‘Turned’ Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (1041 words)
  • Published: October 21, 2017
  • Type: Paper
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Both 'Tony Kytes' by Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) and 'Turned' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) explore similar themes but have contrasting messages. 'Tony Kytes' delves into how young love can make fools out of people, whereas 'Turned' presents a biased perspective against men, portraying them as wicked towards the virtuous female characters in the story.

The primary contrast between the two stories lies in their structure, as 'Turned' opts for parallel openings and numerous flashbacks. This sets it apart from the other story. One instance of this is the depiction of Mrs. Marroner and Gerta crying in separate rooms before cutting to a flashback that progresses the story by revealing the reason for their distress. The narrative transpires across various settings, including Boston and Mrs. Marroner's hometown.

After leaving her husband, Mrs. Marroner begi

...

ns a new life and is compared to Gerta in terms of their similarities and differences. While Mrs. Marroner is a wealthy woman, Gerta is a struggling immigrant from Sweden. Despite their contrasting backgrounds, they have one thing in common - being hurt by the same man, Mr.

The husband of Mrs. Marroner is referred to as Marroner. The structure of 'Tony Kytes' is simple as it follows a chronological order with only one flashback. This occurs when Milly Richard's, Tony's fiance, becomes restless in the wagon and runs into Unity Sallet. The story's setting is limited to a picaresque tale where the character embarks on a journey. Tony encounters difficulties on his journey up the hill, which may symbolize life's challenges, and meets Unity Sallet, whose name is ironic as she causes disunity and brings trouble.

The two stories differ significantly in terms of language

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"Turned" utilizes lengthy, intricate, and refined vocabulary such as "I never saw anyone so docile... it is perfection in a servant, but almost a defect in character." These words also highlight Mrs.'s character.

Despite the fact that Mrs. Marroner is extremely sophisticated and highly educated, she proves to be a strong-willed individual who is able to control her emotions and curb her anger, as evidenced by the extended metaphor of "and then came the deluge" and "floods rising around." The use of complex language in "Turned" is further exemplified through the inclusion of similes such as "primal earth spirit" and compound adjectives including "thick-curtained." Meanwhile, in "Tony Kytes," there is an abundance of non-standard English such as "ee," while Hardy utilizes nineteenth century dialect like "nunny-watch" and "kick a bit of a miff."

Within his writing, Hardy employs words that reveal the punctuation of his characters. One notable instance is the use of "handsome," which highlights Unity's characteristics of strength, masculinity, and beauty. 'Turned' showcases social and historical context through class distinctions, which carry greater significance than within 'Tony Kytes'. For example, Mrs. Marroner is a wealthy woman living a luxurious life in Boston, while Gerta is a less fortunate servant. Ultimately, power resides in money, as demonstrated by Mr.'s control over others.

Gerta is a hopeless immigrant who receives $50 from Marroner, with whom she had slept. Despite this, the stories of Marroner and Tony both revolve around the relationships between men and women. Tony, a young man from the countryside, is ironically called "the arch deceiver" despite being weak-willed and easily manipulated by women. He lacks respect towards them, as shown when he hides

under sacks and tarpaulin with them and promises to marry one if he breaks up with Milly.

Tony has an affinity for women in "shoals", likening them to fish that can be easily replaced when one leaves. He also refers to them as "ferrets", suggesting that they are difficult to control. In contrast, Mr. Marroner, a respected and prosperous businessman, coerces Gerta, a naive and dutiful woman, into sleeping with him despite the foreseeable harm it will cause his beloved and trusting wife as well as Gerta herself.

The text depicts Mr. Marroner's irresponsibility and self-centeredness. He has been away from his wife for a long time, writing letters about their upcoming honeymoon upon his return, knowing that his wife will be angry about Gerta's pregnancy. Mr. Marroner blames Gerta for ruining his relationship with his wife and forgets about his child, whom he refers to as "all that". This underscores the notion that men are not considerate towards others. Upon returning home, Mr. Marroner discovers an empty house and wonders if his wife has passed away. He contemplates how to inform friends and family, highlighting his selfishness yet again.

Marroner is fearful of disclosing his wife's departure, as he desires to protect his reputation and family name from being tarnished. Essentially, Gilman exhibits a prejudiced stance towards men as they frequently cause complications, leaving women to suffer the consequences. Moreover, the protagonist in 'Turned' is Mrs. Marroner, whom Gilman regards as an exemplary woman. This is because Mrs.

Mrs. Marroner is a formidable figure who possesses emotional and anger management skills, channeling them into logical and well-articulated expressions as she did at the outset of the narrative. The

parallel introductions could have served to illustrate how she overcomes adversity. Furthermore, she is a highly educated individual who holds a Ph.D.

In summary, Mrs. Marroner is depicted as an impeccable woman. However, upon being hurt by her husband Mr. Marroner, she turns against him and views him as an untrustworthy enemy. Furthermore, she rebels against societal norms by leaving her unfulfilling marriage and residing in a small town where she aids in the upbringing of Gerta's child.

In summary, Hardy presents an objective perspective on gender dynamics, while Gilman, a feminist, challenges men through her story that encourages women to strive for freedom and equality. Compared to 'Tony Kytes', 'Turned' is more instructive, as readers can learn from it. The ending of 'Turned' is ambiguous, concluding with the question "what have you got to say to us?" which may reveal whether Mr. Marroner has gained insight.

The conclusion of 'Tony Kytes' presents an uncertain outcome as it remains unclear whether Tony has truly learned from his mistakes or if he continues to deceive Milly even after they marry. Hardy ends the story with a "rare party," leaving the interpretation open to both positive and negative viewpoints.

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