%% NOTE - as a rule, the Administrivia/SpoilersOff cutoff for older works aligns to OlderThanRadio. This is *just* out of that category - 1891 vs. 1890 - so please keep spoilers tagged until/unless there is a consensus to change this.

[[quoteright:206:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_sons_veto.jpg]]

''The Son's Veto'' is an 1891 short story written by Creator/ThomasHardy. It tells the story of [[ShrinkingViolet Sophy]], a crippled former servant who marries her boss, the widower Reverand Twycott, vicar of the small town Gaymead, after leaving her fiancé Sam, a gardener. Fearing judgement for marrying a [[BookDumb simple]] servant, Rev. Twycott moves to the city and they have a son named Randolph, who grows up to be even more ashamed and embarrassed of his mother.

Years later, when Randolph is a young man and the vicar has been dead for two years, Sophy meets Sam again, who wants to marry her. Randolph, who has long assumed the position of authority, refuses, on account of Sam being a mere uncultured gardener.

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!!This short story provides examples of:

* BrattyHalfPint: Randolph; established when he snappily corrects Sophy's grammar.
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:Sophy dies alone and unhappy.]]
* DumbIsGood: Sophy and [[NiceGuy Sam]] are simple but sweet. Sophy has been educated during her adult life but doesn't grasp certain subjects fully.
* {{Jerkass}}: Randolph
* LowerClassLout: Randolph refuses to let Sophy marry Sam because he believes Sam is this.
* MealTicket: Why Sophy marries the Vicar; also initially a reason she gives for wanting to marry Sam.
* NouveauRiche: Sophy after marrying the Vicar. Subverted in that she is not vulgar or brash, but sweet and simple-minded.
* OnOneCondition: Sophy is able to enjoy a comfortable upper-class lifestyle after [[spoiler:the vicar dies]], but is left with zero financial control.
* RichSuitorPoorSuitor: The Vicar and Sam respectively.
* ShrinkingViolet: Sophy could be the TropeCodifier
* SocialClimber: Randolph bases all his decisions on whether it'll hurt or help his image.
* UnableToSupportAWife: Averted with Sam: though he couldn't offer Sophy the same kind of lifestyle that the vicar did, his plans to open a fresh produce shop with her hardly meant that they would be starving.
* UnequalPairing: While Twycott sincerely loved Sophie, she accepted his proposal out of respect and fear of his higher social standing rather than love.
* WickedCultured: Randolph is stated to have had what little kindness he had in him squashed out by his education, making him a {{Justified}} example.
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