Is Tess a victim of society? Thomas Hardy wrote "Tess of the D'Urbevilles" in 1891in the height of the Victorian ideals and a social constraint

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1068 words        English

        Is Tess a victim of society?

Is Tess a victim of society?

Thomas Hardy wrote "Tess of the D'Urbevilles" in 1891in the height of the Victorian ideals and a social constraint. Society was restrictive to individuals and appeared controlling to its members. Tess is a modern character who is victimised by the society. Her strong willed personality clashed with what was desired and required of women in that society.

Tess is a modern character for the time period, she is portrayed as strong willed and not as passive as women were throughout that time period. The family  The landowners, who towards the end of the novel make the family move out of their home that is on conditional ownership, oppress her and her family. Tess has been brought up in this home where they have to work to live and often cannot work enough to survive. Tess has been made a victim of society by this, in being brought up like this, she is encouraged to work to help pay for her family when they are struggling to survive. Her proud character prevents her from accepting gifts, from Alec in particular which is what gets Tess into more trouble. Tess has grown up in relative poverty compared with Alec and so feels that she has to repay him in some way for the gifts in which he gives to her family. It is only after Alec tells Tess that he has provided a horse for her family and toys for her siblings that she falls into despair and her ultimate ending.

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Alec can tell that Tess is subject to the social guiding of looking after yourself and he abuses his power over her with money. He gets her to fall for his kindness and therefore feel in debt to him. Alec understands the society and realises that even though Tess is stubborn in nature, her nurture has taught her some passivity. When he rapes her she is under the illusion that he cares and that she owes him something in repayment for all he’s done for her family. Tess feels a strong responsibility for her family in the novel. Her ...

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