A Group of Noble Dames

"A Group of Noble Dames" by Thomas Hardy is a compilation of related stories set in Wessex during the late 1800s. The book tells about the lives of several upper-class women. The writing explores what it was like to be a woman during this time, including what society expected from them, the roles they were supposed to have, and the choices they could make. The story focuses on Betty, the daughter of Squire Dornell, and her fight with an arranged marriage and her own feelings. Early in the book, the reader gets a close look at what it was like being a child in her family, and soon she is involved in an argument between her parents about who she will marry. As she listens to their arguments, the reader sees how her parents want different things for her, and this causes problems for Betty. This part of the story shows what challenges Betty will face as she gets older in a world that doesn't give her many choices.