Discuss the importance of nature in Hardy's "Tess of the D'urbervilles".
by
grace0123 (student)
Discuss the importance of nature, in Hardy’s ‘Tess of the D’urbervilles’.
Nature was extremely important in the Victorian era, after God and religion, Hardy shows the importance of nature throughout ‘Tess of the D’urbervilles’ by certain techniques of language and structure. Hardy uses nature to explain and portray aspects that happened within the Victorian society, and Tess’s life itself; there is always a underlying piece of information.
‘They followed the way till they reached the beginning of the ascent on the crest of which vehicle from Tantridge was to receive her’ this extract informs us, as readers on several things, not only about Tess but also about the society in the Victorian era. ‘They followed’ in this context Tess is shown to be moving on with her life, and as she is about to move social class, her family are seen as beneath her in this aspect behind her, within the eyes of society itself. The extract goes onto say ‘beginning of the ascent’ this could be interpreted two different ways, either as Tess was moving on with her life, she is experiencing the change from a girl to a woman, a she becomes more independent and leaves her parents behind. However, it could be viewed in society eyes, that Tess is climbing the ascent, from the lower class to the higher class as she goes to meet Alec. These two interpretations, portray both society and the development of Tess’s character, society could also support the change within Tess, as when a girl becomes to work, she is vied as a woman. Another word in this quote that shows a strong aspect of society and current government threats is the word ‘vehicle’ as this portrays the threat of England and the industrial revolution, as well as presenting the equipment available to the upper class, that isn’t available to the lower class; again nature shows the importance of most things. At the very end of the quote the words ‘receive her’ presents Tess’s move up the social hierarchy as easy, as the upper class was waiting on her arrival, perhaps hinting that Tess’s appealing appearance and character at first to a stronger, however this hypothesis contrasts to earlier in the book when Tess is described as ‘queer’.
