Thomas Hardy’s Short Stories Essay Example

men and women are explicitly portrayed. The story revolves around Tony Kytes and his pursuit by three women: Unity, Milly, and Hannah, each with distinct roles and personalities.

Tony has a close relationship with them, as demonstrated by the fondness he displays when they are alone together. Their rapport is expected, given that the girls are familiar with Tony and have formed a strong relationship with him over time. This is evident from the statement, "He was quite a women's favourite." Initially, Tony is in a stronger relationship with Milly Richards compared to the other two girls.

Despite the rumour that he and his fiancee are close to marriage, he gives a ride to Unity when she asks for one. This is because he maintains deep and meaningful relationships with women. Hardy accentuates this by using language that depicts Unity's tone of voice as gentle and affectionate when she questions him about Milly's appearance. While she refers to Milly as "She," her tone suggests a lack of concern for Milly. He responds honestly, but evades the truth.

Hardy portrays Tony's emotions through his description of Tony being struck by the truth. The language used by Hardy implies that Unity is more attractive than Milly, while also highlighting their strong relationship. However, Tony's emotional response to a question reveals his admiration for Milly's beauty. This reveals Tony's close relationships with women, including Milly.

Despite their previous relationship, the protagonist's interactions with Unity take a backseat once Milly arrives. He even requests that Unity conceal herself from Milly. The dialogue, "Unity,"... remains unchanged, accompanied by its surrounding .

As Milly approaches, the speaker fears being caught riding with Unity.

They suggest that Unity lie down in the back of the wagon and be covered with a tarpaulin to avoid suspicion from Milly. The speaker promises to reconsider their feelings for Unity and possibly ask them a loving question instead of Milly, despite rumors that the speaker and Milly have already settled things.

In this passage, Hardy showcases Tony's impressive way with words. Despite being afraid of Milly's wrath if she were to see him with Unity, Tony manages to convince Unity to hide without upsetting her. He accomplishes this by providing a believable excuse. Unity believes that their relationship remains unchanged as he sweet-talks her into hiding. Perhaps, this is why Tony enjoys such great relationships with women. To avoid confrontation, Tony resort to lying and occasionally pretends ignorance by saying "Ah, I didn't know that." According to Hardy, the conversation between himself and Milly was enjoyable.

According to the text, Tony is currently very content with his fianci??e, which is a positive situation for them both. Their relationship is also good, although it may not be as thrilling. However, their happiness is interrupted when they come across Hannah.

According to Hardy, Hannah was Tony's initial love and thus they likely had a positive association. However, her initial response to Tony implies the opposite as she states that she is simply passing by and not present for him. She even calls him unintelligent. Nonetheless, their bond is ultimately revealed to be resilient as evidenced by Hannah's confession that she enjoys riding with Tony and his reciprocal statement.

Describing the strong bond between them, the text details Tony's growing fondness for Hannah Jolliver. He found

himself drawn to her more and more, realizing that he could not understand why he had even considered marriage with Milly or Unity. As they sat together, their bodies inching closer, Tony couldn't help but admire Hannah's beauty, speaking to her with increasing tenderness and affectionately referring to her as "dear Hannah". Through this portrayal, Hardy conveys the depth of Tony's relationship with Hannah and the special connection they share.

Despite Tony's repeated deception about the axel of the wagon, he seeks advice from his father and ultimately chooses to follow Milly's suggestion, which angers Hannah. When the lies are uncovered upon boarding the wagon, it results in damaged relationships between Tony and the girls.

Tony begs for Unity's love, but his plea is unsuccessful when he asks, "Will you, Unity dear, be mine?" This implies that men are disloyal and deceitful, a belief conveyed by Hardy in his other short stories as well. Both Hannah and Unity reject Tony's advances.

After proposing to Milly and assuring her that he did not mean anything he said to the other two girls, which were lies, they got married on the following Sunday with almost everyone in Longpuddle attending. This event suggests that Tony's relationship with Unity and Hannah is destroyed. The theme of men being unfaithful in their relationships with women contrasts sharply with An Imaginative Women, where the woman is the unfaithful party.

The underlying theme in Tony Kytes is that men are disloyal in relationships. In contrast, in 'An Imaginative Woman', the first conversation between Ella and William Marchmill establishes their affluent backgrounds and similar social positions. Nevertheless, as we delve further into the text, we

discover that there is more to their relationship...

The absence of a shared trait or characteristic means they have nothing in common. The books highlight the significance of establishing a bond with individuals from one's own social class. Despite lacking similar traits, they possess a robust relationship and amicably coexist until their decision to travel to Solentsea.

The couple shared similar ages and appearances and were considered a good match for each other, despite having little in common. Their conversations were often pleasant, using language depicted as such by Hardy. However, their relationship takes a turn when Elle overhears the name of Robert Trewe, her favorite poet, whom they have displaced from his own home. This news causes her to become fixated on him, causing her to neglect her husband and leading to strain on their relationship.

Marchmill is unaware that their relationship is deteriorating. Elle becomes fixated on developing a relationship with Mr. Trewe, a man she has never met before. She makes it her goal in life to finally meet him, but he is completely oblivious to her love for him and keeps missing her attempts to connect. Despite her obsession with this relationship, the landlady notices Elle's behavior while her husband remains oblivious.

Madam, I am aware that you have admiration towards Mr. Trewe," she holds his photo close to her heart as she gazes upon it. Despite her husband being unaware of their affair, her love and connection with him continues to diminish with each passing moment. She regularly inquires about Mr. Trewe and recollects him throughout the night.

Hardy uses words like "magnetic attraction", "fantasy", "glorious", ecstatic", and "immersed" to describe Elle's intimate relationship

with Trewe, even though they have never spoken or met. Mr. Marchmill was not suspicious when Elle asked to stay longer, so she was deeply upset when she didn't get to see Trewe. She was miserable for a long time and couldn't even reread his mournful ballad on "Severed Lives" due to the ache in her heart and the tears in her eyes. When the children came in with wet stockings and told her of their adventures, she didn't care as much as usual. Even though she invited Trewe to her house, he did not arrive due to a bad review of one of his poems. After learning of Trewe's death and reading his last words, Elle realizes that if she had made herself known to him he would still be alive today with secret delight."

O, had he just been aware of me – of me – me!... Oh, if there was even just one encounter between us – just one, where I could touch his fevered forehead, kiss him, and confess my immense love for him, telling him that I would endure any humiliation or disgrace, even live and die for him! Maybe that would have preserved his precious life!...

However, the happiness between him and me was not permitted, as God is a possessive God. This has caused great anguish for her and she is taking responsibility for his passing, as she has lost both a relationship and a lover. Her life has become despairing. By examining Hardy's use of language in Elle's previous discourse, we can gain insight into her strong feelings for Trewe and her emotional state.

Despite her infidelity, she desires

to maintain their relationship, evident in her request for a lock of his hair which she kisses frequently, solidifying their bond. It is not until Marchmill discovers the lock of hair and follows his wife to Trewe's grave that he realizes her betrayal and becomes aware of her love for Trewe. As she becomes increasingly miserable after the birth of their fourth child, she confides in Marchmill who dismisses her fears. It is only after her death that Marchmill learns the truth from her confession and the dates on an envelope, leading to the realization that their fourth child was fathered by Trewe.

The protagonist avoids the baby, assuming it belongs to Trewe. Nonetheless, this is not feasible as Elle never encountered Trewe. The narrative highlights the idea of females being disloyal to their significant others. However, this differs from Tony Kytes' situation, where Tony was the unfaithful party.

The second and third stories, like the first, imply that women have strained relationships with men. In "Squire Petrick's Lady," the woman is said to be unfaithful to her husband. However, Timothy and Annetta have a strong relationship based on love and physical attraction. Timothy fell for Annetta's beauty and personality, rather than her family's standing. He holds her in high regard and is deeply concerned for her well-being. Annetta trusts him enough to reveal the truth to him, further cementing their positive connection.

The protagonist discovers that his relationship with his partner, which he believed to be strong all these years, was marked by her infidelity. He learns that their upcoming child is not biologically his, leaving him stunned. He confides in his dying grandfather, who subsequently

amends his will to exclude the child. The language used by the protagonist's grandfather suggests that the child would face harsh treatment. This experience devastated the protagonist and led to significant damage to his relationships with women. Additionally, his relationship with his son suffered due to doubts about paternity resulting from his partner's infidelity.

In his use of language, Hardy reveals that Timothy shows little regard for his wife's child, only fulfilling his promise to care for the boy by having him brought up in his house without paying much attention to him. Occasionally checking on the child's well-being and giving special directions, Timothy remains emotionally distant from the child as they continue to live together in the Stapleford mansion-house for several years. Hardy emphasizes the child's unfortunate situation and Timothy's lack of feelings towards him.

One day, Timothy sees his child playing and experiences a deep feeling of love towards him. He begins to spend more and more time with the child, building a strong attachment with him every day. Author Thomas Hardy uses words like "attachment" and "deeper" to describe their relationship. Then, to Timothy's surprise, he learns by accident that his son Rupert is actually the son of the Marquis of Christminster, who happens to be a powerful man. This knowledge instantly strengthens their relationship and Timothy loves his son even more because of his powerful lineage.

After building a strong relationship with his son, Timothy became curious about the child's biological father. He delved into the history of the Dukes of Southwesterland, and was outraged to discover that his son had been cut off from the family will. In retaliation, Timothy illegally changed

the will to benefit Rupert. However, when he later learned that his wife's affair with the Marquis had been a lie and Rupert was truly his son, Timothy's attitude towards him became distant and cold. Hardy's language conveys the change in Timothy's emotions: he had initially rejoiced and couldn't contain his happiness but now felt empty and upset that his son was no longer as important as he once thought.

Timothy's relationship with his son deteriorates despite it being a time when they should be strengthening their bond. This deterioration is as a result of Timothy's grave upset over Annetta's supposed unfaithfulness. Clearly, the strength of the man-woman relationship in this story, like the previous ones, is not as it seemed.

This trend can also be observed in Thomas Hardy's "Destiny and a Blue Cloak". Unlike the unfaithful characters in the other short stories, the central character Oswald fails to keep his promise. Agatha Pollin initially shares a peculiar relationship with Oswald due to mistaken identity. However, the two form a strong bond and "Agatha had already lost her heart to him".

Hardy's use of language illustrates a relationship between them that is beyond just friendship, as evidenced by her declaration, "I love you so dearly." Oswald reciprocates these feelings, further strengthening their special bond. Their love for each other leads them to agree to marry, with Oswald promising to marry Hardy upon his return from India: "If I'm on this earth I'll come home and marry you." However, Oswald had already made plans to go to India and remain there for several years.

As Oswald is in India, they decide to delay the wedding until his return. Despite

the distance, Agatha thinks of him constantly, eagerly anticipating his homecoming. The couple maintains their bond by exchanging letters, with Agatha sharing details of her life and deriving joy from imagining Oswald's interest in them. However, during Oswald's absence, Agatha is pursued by Farmer Lovill, an older man who becomes infatuated with her. Even though he stalks her, Lovill asks Agatha's uncle (who is also in debt to him) for permission to marry her. The uncle pressures Agatha into accepting Lovill's proposal by offering to clear his debts. However, Agatha strongly rejects this idea, expressing her disgust at the thought of abandoning Oswald for Lovill.

Despite not wanting to disappoint her uncle, she agrees to marry Lovill if Oswald does not return by November. She informs Oswald of the situation via letter and he assures her that he will be back in time to marry her before November. This once again highlights the special relationship they share and her complete trust in him is evident through her words, "But he's coming in six weeks, He tells me about it in this very letter." Her emotions of happiness and impatience further confirm the strength of their relationship from her point of view.

Agatha currently has a negative perspective towards her relationship with Lovill. She holds strong feelings of antipathy and frequently addresses him as the "Old man", indicating a deep sense of disdain. This impression of Agatha's animosity is conveyed through her choice of words. As time passes, she continues to be dissatisfied with her relationship with Oswald, leading to doubts in their bond. The night before her wedding, she attempts to flee, hoping to rekindle her relationship

with Oswald and evade marrying Lovill. However, this plan fails, as Lovill is waiting for her instead. This event suggests a dubious relationship between the two.

Lovill and Agatha wed, but her disappointment with Oswald leaves her emotionally wounded. Agatha's words, "I am my husband's darling now, you know, and I wouldn't make the dear man jealous for the world," may imply a strong bond with Lovill and a dissolved relationship with Oswald. However, careful examination of her language reveals terms like "slain" and "quivering," indicating serious distress. This story highlights yet another example of couples lacking trust in one another.

Among the stories I am comparing, "Old Mrs. Chundle" stands apart. While like the others, it features infidelity, it does not center around a romantic relationship. At the beginning, we meet a new curate. As one does in a new role, he is keen to impress and begins to interact with Mrs. Chundle.

Chundle is a man who asks for food and initially appears pleasant and interested in creating a friendly rapport with Old Mrs. Chundle. However, she seems unwilling to form any sort of relationship with him, as evidenced by her "Sour look", comments like "Some folk have nothing better to do with their time", and offering him his food with the remark "There's yours".

Hardy describes how their relationship blossoms as he engages Mrs. Chundle in friendly conversation, causing her to speak to him more kindly. She claims to attend Church every Sunday, but the Curate discovers this to be a falsehood after questioning her. He realizes that she is deaf and begins visiting her regularly in an attempt to assist her. Initially, Mrs. Chundle is

curious but eventually builds a strong rapport with the Curate as he helps her overcome her deafness, enabling her to attend Church. Although the first device fails, Mrs. Chundle becomes impatient and loses hope. However, their relationship continues to flourish as the Curate purchases another device at great expense, which, despite the old woman's misusing it, appears to help her.

Despite causing inconvenience to the curate and interrupting his sermons with bad breath, the process seems to be effective. However, this causes a significant deterioration in his relationship with Mrs. Chundle and he begins to avoid her. Although he did not visit her the following week, she approached him as they were both visiting another cottager and addressed him as a partner in the same enterprise. When they eventually meet, she tells him that the method worked and indicates her intention to regularly attend church. Hardy expertly portrays the curate's thoughts and emotions through his use of language when he writes that "The curate quivered internally", suggesting that he was aware of the future struggles of enduring bad breath every week.

In the following weeks, he experiences a recurring ordeal regarding his relationship with Mrs. Chundle. Eventually, he decides that their relationship is nonexistent and tells her not to come anymore. However, when he receives a message from her, he puts off going for a day because their relationship is unimportant to him. Unfortunately, the Old Woman passes away, and he is plagued by guilt. Hardy describes his emotions as being similar to Peter at the cock-crow, with tears in his eyes and his face covered by his hands. These actions indicate that he still held

a special connection with Mrs. Chundle, as evidenced by his decision to kneel down and weep for several minutes.

In contrast to the other stories, this particular one portrays a bond between a younger man and an elderly lady. Hardy's tales often center around a male and female couple whose initially commendable and secure relationship deteriorates due to one party's disloyalty, resulting in a tumultuous or fractured bond. The shared theme throughout the stories is the consistently poor relationships between men and women, which is conveyed by Hardy through his language and plotlines.