Womens Marital Rights in Thomas Hardys The Woodlanders :: Hardy Woodlanders Essays

Women's Marital Rights in Thomas Hardy's The Woodlanders Thomas Hardy's novels focus on the difficulties of relationships between men and women, especially married men and women. In his preface to The Woodlanders, Hardy poses the question of "given the man and woman, how to find a basis for their sexual relation" (Hardy 39). With this in mind, the reader meets Grace Melbury, a young woman of marrying age, who is betrothed by circumstances beyond her control, to a man named Giles Winterbourne. When the young and mysterious doctor, Edred Fitzpiers catches Grace's eye, Hardy's question of sexual compatibilities is addressed. Grace and Fitzpiers find themselves mutually attracted to one another, and Giles loses Grace's affection. In time, Grace and Fitzpiers are married. Yet this union is soon challenged by Fitzpiers secret affair with the powerful Felice Charmond. Grace learns of Edred's adultery, and is angered and humiliated. With the prompting of her father, Grace is forced to evaluate her marriage. At this time, they hear about the so-called "new law", which would possibly allow for her to divorce Fitzpiers, and re-engage in her courtship with Winterbourne. This law in question, The Divorce and Matrimonial Causes act of 1857, proves not to be a solution to Grace's dilemma. Prior to the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act of 1857, divorce in England was regulated by the Ecclesiastical Courts. Marriage was a permanent state of being for the most part. The Church granted divorces only with the addition of a private act of Parliament, an extensive and costly procedure; therefore, before 1857, only the very wealthy had access to marital termination. The Act of 1857 created the Probate and Divorce Court in London. The law allowed a man to divorce his wife for adultery, but a woman's request for a divorce would only be granted if her husband practiced cruelty, bigamy, incest, and/or bestiality along with adultery. Women could obtain a separation for desertion of more than two years, as well as adultery or cruelty. A deserted wife could also apply for rights of her own property, something not completely legal until 1870. If a woman could not afford the expenses of a divorce procedure, she could only be granted a separation from her husband. Although a good firs t step, this law still held many limitations for women. The Married Women's Property Acts of 1870 and 1882 favored women's marital rights.

Why Do People Talk About Others?

I have written my first essay. It took me hours and hours, and I just gave up. Please provide some constructive feedback. I know nothing beats practise, practise, practise, but some guide in the right direction would be muchly appreciated. Thanking in advise. Here goes: – We cannot control the evil tongues of others; but a good life enables us to disregard them. Cato the Elder (234 BC – 149 BC) There is so much good in the worst of us, And so much bad in the best of us, That it hardly behooves any of us To talk about the rest of us.Edward Wallis Hoch (1849 – 1925), Marion (Kansas) Record Never tell evil of a man, if you do not know it for certainty, and if you know it for a certainty, then ask yourself, ‘Why should I tell it? ‘ Johann K. Lavater A rumor without a leg to stand on will get around some other way. John Tudor Scandal is gossip made tedious by morality. Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900), Lady Windermere's Fan, 1892, Act III Why do we talk ab out other people? Oscar Wilde's statement â€Å"Scandal is gossip made tedious by morality† shows something of the reason we talk about other people.Gossip relieves boredom. Gossiping carries such a negative connotation that few will proudly own to have done so, but few can say that they have not. Even John Tudor suggests that gossiping is a wide spread method of relieving boredom, when he said â€Å"A rumour without a leg to stand on will get around some other way. † For this reason, I somewhat agree with Cato the Elder's quote â€Å"We cannot control the evil tongues of others, but a good life enables us to disregard them. † For gossip is so common as to be navoidable. If gossip causes one discomfort, one will be living with discomfort all their life. Is it not a good life's phillosphy to accept this fact and not let other's ‘evil' tongue bother you? While accepting gossiping is a part of life, others attempt to advise us against gossiping. Edward Willis Hoch's quote† There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it hardly behooves any of us to talk about the rest of us. † suggests that there is not much point in gossiping.Also against gossiping is the the ‘think before you speak' phillosophy because as Tudor implies, rumour will spread and Lavater's â€Å"Why should I tell it? â€Å". These advice stem from the morality of giving respect for other's privacy, but they do not consider that the reason people gossip: the innate craving for learning, the comfort of having company and connection with other people. While some may say, there must be better things to learn about. Having company doesn't require talking about other people, there are other ways to connect. Yes, but why must we NOT talk about others?When talking about other people, we can: State facts: He has gone to London for a holiday. Give Opinion: They are married. What a bad match! Lie: She didn't do anything today! When we say facts, we are passing information. However, the same fact said can mean different things depending on the intent of the speaker. A child saying a by-passer is fat is simply stating an observation. Another person my say the same thing it to demean others. When we lie, it can be done with good intent. Thus it is the intent of the speaker that people are concerned about, not the gossip itself.It is through knowing one's action that one can learn from their mistakes, but one can only do so much! To learn from other's mistake is to not step in it yourself. If we do not talk about others, then one can only learn by doing things themshelves. Would this perhaps defeat the purpose of the education system? Does the benefit of learning not outweigh the intrusion into other's ‘privacy'? Not all gossip invades privacy. Gossip is a way people communicate, and learn. Gossip itself is not the immoral act, it is the intent of the gossiper that makes the act immoral or otherwise.

Gothic Architecture With Magnificent Stained Glass Windows...

The ultimate expression of French Gothic architecture with magnificent stained glass windows lies within the Sainte-Chapelle. Sainte-Chapelle is considered a perfect example of the Rayonnant style of Gothic architecture. Sainte-Chapelle is located within the Palais de Justice complex on the Ile de la Cità ©, in the center of Paris. King Louis IX commissioned Sainte-Chapelle between 1241-1248 to house his relics and Christ’s Crown of Thorns. Louis IX bought the Crown of Thorn for 135,000 Livres. For comparison, to build the entire Sainte-Chapelle cost 40,000 Livres. Now, Sainte-Chapelle is one of the most visited Catholic Church and considered one of the greatest sites of Gothic Art. The beauty of Sainte-Chapelle is broke down into a few major categories: exterior, lower, upper, and the stained glass windows. Over the centuries, the Chapelle suffered from a fire in 1630, 1776 and from the French Revolution, causing the Chapelle to go under restoration. Although some relics wer e never found again, some are kept in Notre-Dame Cathedral and the National Library. The extraordinary architecture should be preserved and restored when it’s needed to preserve history. Sainte-Chapelle is known for their integrate details inside and outside of the church. Although the main focus of the church is the upper level with the stained glass windows, the exterior design of the church is just integrate. The exterior of Sainte-Chapelle features tall windows, subdivided by bar tracery and deepShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Poem Sainte Chapelle 1308 Words   |  6 PagesSainte Chapelle Sainte Chapelle is a Gothic style church and a powerful monarch that was built within seven years. It has religious and political influence. It is on the ÃŽle de la Cità ©- which is in the heart of Paris, France. Sainte Chapelle is near the Palais de Justice buildings with a petite and peaceful exterior. Also, it was built to preserve some Christian relics- i.e. Christ’s crucifixion crown; all the relics were obtained by Saint Louis. In figure one, the entrance to the chapel is displayed