The Wessex Tales

Explore Hardy’s portrayal of women in three of the stories studied.



The Wessex tales was set in the nineteenth century; Thomas Hardy decided to write his stories and novels in the past, during the nineteenth century before he was born. Hardy got some of his ideas from his grand parents; he used to spend long evening next to the fire listening to his grand parents telling stories form the past.

Thomas Hardy invented his own places

He is highlighting the point that women around that time do not have a say in any thing.

The expectations of women were that they had a lower profile

At this time people lived in small communities so every one knew each other, so gossip got around the community. If any one did any thing wrong then they became a victim of there own community, and would become isolated.

  Thomas Hardy portrays Rhoda s being a social victim for having a child out of wedlock, although she is isolated it is ironic that Farmer Lodge is not, but he is still accepted as part of the community. This shows women are lower than men women are inferior to men. Farmer lodge does not acknowledge the fact that he has a son

‘Just the same as usual’

‘ Took no notice of you’

  ‘None’

  Rhoda son is use to his dad ignoring him. All that Farmer Lodge has given Rhoda is a job, Rhoda works away from the rest of the workers because she has been discarded. Hardy describes Rhoda as

‘Fading women of thirty’

She looks older than she actually is; it also shows that she has been isolated from some time, because she does not look after her self very well if she is already starting to fade and look old.

When Rhoda had sent her son to go and see if Farmer Lodges new wife (Gertrude) has the same qualities she had once had, before she started to ‘fade away’

‘Well did you see her?’

‘Is she lady like?’

‘…A lady complete’

‘ Her eyes, then, are not dark like...