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Hardy Country Melia's Thomas Ruined Maid Explore X4

Front Thomas Hardy - The Ruined Maid
Explore: x4
-'I wish I had feathers, a fine sweeping gown,
And a delicate face, and could strut about Town!'-
'My dear - a raw country girl, such as you be,
Cannot quite expect that. You ain't ruined,' said she.
Back •Mimicks endearement 'my dear' in a satirical, condescending tone - takes control and cuts off the first speaker as tension increases. 
•'raw country girl' is anonymous as she becomes an emblem for all working class women + sense of degradation - not worth a name. 
•Structure poem concludes with Melia's pride - thus Hardy reinforces his criticism of Victorian values: Melia is shameless and unrepenting of her prostitution 
•Would a modern reader respect Melia's right to choose what she does with her body? Or reprove of the society she lived in for forcing her to resort to this?

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