Hardy the ruined maid. Gender Stereotypes In The Ruined Maid By Thomas Hardy Essay 2022-10-23
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Thomas Hardy's poem "The Ruined Maid" tells the story of two young women, Melia and Amelia, who meet after a long separation and catch up on their respective lives. Melia is a former maid who has become a prostitute, while Amelia is a well-to-do farmer's daughter.
The poem is written in a conversational style, with Melia and Amelia taking turns speaking to each other. Melia begins by asking Amelia how she has been, and Amelia responds by describing her comfortable and secure life as a farmer's daughter. She tells Melia that she has always been well-respected and well-liked, and that she has never had to worry about anything.
Melia, on the other hand, has had a much harder life. She tells Amelia that she used to be a maid, but that she was "ruined" by a man and had to turn to prostitution to make a living. She describes how she has had to endure all kinds of abuse and degradation, and how she has lost all respect for herself.
Despite the contrast between their lives, the two women seem to have a genuine affection for each other. Melia speaks kindly of Amelia, and Amelia is visibly moved by Melia's story. At the end of the poem, Amelia offers to help Melia in any way she can, suggesting that she may see in Melia a reflection of her own potential for vulnerability and suffering.
Overall, "The Ruined Maid" is a poignant and thought-provoking poem that highlights the harsh realities of life for many women in Hardy's time. It also serves as a commentary on the social and economic forces that can shape a person's circumstances and opportunities in life. Through the conversation between Melia and Amelia, Hardy presents a nuanced and compassionate portrayal of two women who have taken very different paths in life, but who are ultimately united by their shared humanity and resilience.
THOMAS HARDY’S ‘THE RUINED MAID’ on JSTOR
With an international membership, three journals a year, a biennial festival and conference, and strong links to other organisations promoting Hardyan themes, the Thomas Hardy Society acts as a hub for the education and enjoyment of anyone with an interest in Thomas Hardy. This poem depicts a conversation between a "raw country girl" and another girl from the country, referred to as "'Melia," who claims to have been "ruined. In this way, he identified himself with the suppressed classes. As she grew older and lost her looks she would earn less. Some may say that all of the characters were simply fighting to be a normal part of society; Mr. Amelia appears to value her way of life even though she acknowledges that she has not only sacrificed her virginity to gain worldly pleasures and status but also is engaging in a disreputable occupation. At this time these were considered offensive themes and subjects that could not be discussed.
The narrator is a middle-class woman who has never experienced any hardships in her life. Rather than opening repudiating these, however, Hardy seeks to unsettle them via series of juxtapositions that themselves develop an increasingly complex moral semiotics capable of the challenging ethical foundation of both poverty and degradation. This is evident within the tone and title of the poem. The Hardy Society Journal appears twice annually, in spring and summer. Retrieved 28 May 2015. Symbolism And Imagery In Barbie Doll By Marge Piercy 802 Words 4 Pages She then cut off her nose and arms in order to please the rest of society.
. But I would never consider myself ruined ,because dancing is a far cry from prostitution and a great way to have an independent income with no boss! The New York Times. While they have gradually gained more rights, the Industrial Revolutions have created new ways for men to exploit women and have made women even more dependent on their husbands. Who could have supposed I should meet you in Town? Retrieved 2 April 2012. Also being displayed by Hardy is imagery disclaiming the societal views for being ruined.
Her speech uses few words and reflects a mediocre tone. One's pretty lively when ruined," said she. In her mind she is doing her husband a favor by marry him because he is a ''little clerk in the Ministry of Education'' Maupassant 3. Contributions might include — but are not limited to — reports on Society activities and other Hardy-related events, Society news, creative writing, reproducible illustrations, reflective pieces, book reviews, short research snapshots, and formal research articles. For much of history, women's value has been based on their virtue: a young woman who is unmarried is expected to be virginal; a woman who is married is expected to be faithful to her husband regardless of how faithful he is or isn't. The unknown girl still exists in the life Amelia left behind, the language used to describe this life reveals a sense of gloom and weariness. In Victorian society your class could be identified by the diction you used.
Gender Stereotypes In The Ruined Maid By Thomas Hardy Essay
Some women did not mind this lifestyle, and remained obedient, while some rebelled and demanded their rights. It was no more regarded as a phenomenon that touched only urban life, it was seen as a crime perpetuated everywhere. You ain't ruined," said she. Hardy makes a scathing criticism of the society that treats young women like this. However, Hardy creates female characters who challenge stereotypes, characters who reject an existence in the private and domestic sphere of life. It opens by establishing a conversation between two women.
This relates to how one might behave if they follow all of the society 's ideals; never veering from the given standards. Who could have supposed I should meet you in Town? Normally, girls were educated to be on display as ornaments. Among all the conflicts, the most important one was the disparity in social status between men and women. Retrieved 2 April 2012. According to Renner, such a framework is based around both the idea that vice is punished and that physical appearance is, in some tangible way, an indication of moral character and sophistication ibid. Lost Bearings in English Poetry.
The Critique of Value in Thomas Hardy's The Ruined Maid
Retrieved 2 April 2012. Hardy had sympathy for the plight of women and the double standard where men were expected to gain sexual experience. Here, it becomes obvious to the audience that being judged due to the inadequate understanding of the context of her social class poverty brought Allison a profound Social Status Between Men And Women In Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice 2801 Words 12 Pages Jane Austen lived in a period at the turn from the eighteenth century to the nineteenth century, which was a period of mixed thoughts, which conflicted all the times. The third stanza reveals that Amelia has changed not only in appearance but also in idiolect since she has fallen. See eNotes Ad-Free Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. Each stanza of the poem compares her life to before and after her choice. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
Virginia: West Virginia Press. Hardy perhaps is showing the readers the suffering of a woman who is not ostracised from society. The belief of society was that women who had sex out of wedlock were ruined; although, the poem demonstrates how deviating from the values of a society can present options that would not have been available otherwise. Next, the other girl says that when 'Melia left, those she left behind had no shoes and socks and were exhausted with planting and sowing potatoes, and now she has such pretty jewelry and accessories. The Lady's Dressing Room Analysis 2277 Words 10 Pages Samuel Washburn Prof. The ruined maid is a lower-class woman who has been through many hardships in her life. The poem features a couplet rhyme scheme which can often be found in satirical poetry.
At the end of the poem, envy is displayed by the other maids. The men of this time were higher up on the important ladder of that era. Melia is morally ruined, although she now has money and therefore is not financially ruined like her acquaintance. It is suggested that the unknown girl is in fact jealous of Amelia. The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. It can be used to suggest destitute of any financial resources or worldly goods. The first time I read this poem I immediatley related to it.
Through this Hardy is possibly suggesting Amelia is the better of the two, having been welded for use. In those days girls were neither allowed nor expected to study much because they did not have to work for a living. The North American Conference on British Studies. I am an exotic dancer and full time college student. However, during the Victorian Era women were treated with very little respect. They were expected to be homemakers, and not voice their opinions.
