Quote:
"What are you going to do, Angel?" asked the eldest.
"I am inclined to go and have a fling with them. Why not all of us--just for a minute or two--it will not detain us long?"
"No--no; nonsense!" said the first. "Dancing in public with a troop of country hoydens--suppose we should be seen!”
At this point Angel wants all 3 of them to dance, but since they are in a higher class 2 of the brothers are scared that they will be seen dancing with girls in a lower class than them and that they might lose their respect, but Angel still wishes to dance with them, so he goes over to the girls, and they ask him to choose a dancing partner, and he choose a girl, who happened to be the first girl he saw, but she was not Tess. Then when the clock struck this was the cue for Angel to leave as he was getting late. Upon leaving, his eyes glanced over to Tess, and he regretted his decision on not choosing her as his dancing partner.
Here, you can see that by chance Angel did not choose Tess, and regretted this later on when it was time to leave. Class also mattered a lot to people, since the 2 brothers were afraid of being seen with “a troop of country hoydens”, perhaps if the brothers had joined in too, then Angel could have stayed for longer and maybe get to dance with Tess.
From this, I can tell that Hardy does not have very positive views on life, as Tess’s family have had bad luck twice now, first time was when although they discovered their ancestors were rich they could not gain anything from this, there was only loss as we will see later on. The second bad luck on Tess was that Angel later wished to dance with Tess, but did not happen to do so. Had Angel chosen to dance with Tess then things would have been very very different and Tess would have met the treacherous Alec, who messed up her life, and was partially responsible for Tess being hanged. Angel would have very much liked his brothers to dance with him “suppose we should be seen!” but because of their higher class they are afraid of being seen by others. This clearly illustrates that those in a higher class would not have anything to do with those in a lower class, and if they were seen they might be mocked by others in a higher class or be seen in society in a higher class. If the class issue had not been around; then the brothers would have dance with Angel and then Tess would have perhaps been able to talk to angel because he would have been able to stay for longer and thus Tess would not have had anything to do with the treacherous Alec.
In the horse carriage, John Durbeyfield went to Rolliver’s, which was a local Inn and Drinking Establishment to celebrate his new-found higher status ancestral heritage. Meanwhile when Tess Returns home she discovers that her father has been diagnosed with a serious heart condition, and is currently in Rollivers Inn drinking. He needs to take the beehives that night as it will be a long journey. Tess asks her mother if she should go and fetch her father but her mother disagrees and says that she will go herself. She told Tess to put away the Complete Fortune Teller; which her mother used for guidance. Her coat and hat was ready for her, so she picked them up, and left.
In this extract you can observe that John Durbeyfield is in the Inn drinking, and his wife has gone to join him. She had already prepared for this, leaving her coat and hat ready for when she would leave.
Once again, the odds are slowly but surely stacking up on Tess, and she finds out that her father has a heart condition, and this would severely impact the family income. This is because in those days, women were supposed to stay at home, and let her husband work and go outside while she stays at home cooking or looking after children. If the man of the house died, then it would have been very difficult, for Tess’s family specifically, since they were lower class already so times were tough, but also the fact that women and their rights and opinions were disregarded, so her mother would have found it very difficult indeed to provide for the family, and as we see later on in the novel, the father does dies, and this is another blow to her fate. You can see that Hardy sympathised with Tess, and she was indeed “a toy in the hands of fate”, I believe Hardy has done this to show people how powerless class can leave someone, and that being a woman will put you into a hard life from society.
Quote:
"No," said the latter touchily, "I be not agreed. I have been waiting for 'ee to bide and keep house while I go fetch him."
"I'll go."
"O no, Tess. You see, it would be no use."
Once again we see Hardy’s negative view on life, for Tess you see that first she did not manage to dance with Angel and now she discovers about her fathers heart problem.
You also see that her mother is very superstitious and that she consulted the fortune teller book just for this. There is no mention of god. Hardy is trying to show how negative life is and that fate is the uncontrollable force that is changing their lives and slowly the odds are stacking up on Tess. At these times there was the class issue, and men also dominate women, so the fact that Tess’s father had fallen ill further makes things worse, because if he dies then there would not be a “man of the house”, there would not be a male figure running the family or controlling what goes on inside it.
When Mr & Mrs.Durbeyfield do not return from Rolliver’s, Tess sends Abraham, her younger brother to go fetch them. When Abraham goes there he overhears his parents discussing their plans for Tess to take news of her ancestral heritage to the wealthy Mrs.D’Urberville who lives not too far from Marlott, where they live. They are hoping that Tess can “claim kin” so they can get some money. As Abraham is listening to this, he obviously does not arrive home with them, so Tess has a feeling that her father will be too drunk to take the beehives to sell that night. When Tess arrives, her feeling is correct, so she and Abraham agree to take the beehives. On the way, Abraham tells Tess about what he has overheard.
Here because of the “good” news about their ancestors, the parents are off drinking, leaving Tess and Abraham to take the beehives away to sell. This is also very significant, by fate John Durbeyfield was born in this family, and by fate they slowly “died out” and poor old John Durbeyfield was left as a lower class man trying to run his family. Hence when he was informed that he was the “lineal representative of the ancient and knightly family of the d'Urbervilles” . So as soon as he found out, and since he has been living a poor man all off his miserable life, the new about having great ancestors made him feel important and rich and famous like he had never done before, so he had to go to the local inn to celebrate. And if examined closely as we have in this essay, everything that has happened to Tess has infact happened from fate itself.
After Abraham has finished Tess about what he overheard, he looks up to the stars, and asks her about them.
Quote:
"'Tis very unlucky that we didn't pitch on a sound one, when there were so many more of 'em!"
"Yes."
"Is it like that really, Tess?" said Abraham, turning to her much impressed, on reconsideration of this rare information. "How would it have been if we had pitched on a sound one?"
"Well, father wouldn't have coughed and creeped about as he does, and wouldn't have got too tipsy to go on this journey; and mother wouldn't have been always washing, and never getting finished."
"And you would have been a rich lady ready-made, and not have had to be made rich by marrying a gentleman?"
"O Aby, don't--don't talk of that any more!"
Here Abraham asks Tess if the stars are worlds, and Tess confirms this by saying that she thinks so. Then she says that they are living on a “blighted” one, and upon Abraham asking, she says that if they were not on a blighted one, then they would be seeing better times. Tess sees the problems that the family face and how hard they work, so she is determined to try and make things better. Again, you see Hardy’s negative view on life, you see that Tess has seen the problems, and that she can only hope and try, but she has now left it up to fate, that they were meant to be like this, because they are on a “blighted” star. Hardy believes that you are trapped in your social class and that you cannot move out of it, since Tess knows this; and as she said herself, that they are on a “blighted star”, had they been not, then “Father would not have coughed and creeped about as he does, or got too tipsy on his journey”. This clearly states what Tess thinks, had they not been in a lower class (or on a “blighted star” as she put it), then father would not have had to celebrate that he was a “lineal representative of the ancient and knightly family of the d'Urbervilles” and thus would not have got drunk over it, leaving Tess to do his work for him; and, ultimately, leading to her inevitably ill-fated (and somewhat sticky) end.
After this conversation, Abraham falls asleep, leaving Tess to reflect on things that have happened. Eventually Tess falls asleep and dreams about a “gentlemanly suitor” who scowls at her and sneers at her. Suddenly Tess is awoken by a tragedy. She jumped up and discovered that the mail-cart had hit her father’s horse, named Prince. A shaft from the mailman’s cart went into Prince’s chest like a hot knife through butter, causing him to bleed and die instantly. The carriage that Tess was on was then hitched up onto a wagon belonging to a local farmer so that Tess could take the beehives to sell. The horse was taken back to Tess’s home later, and as Tess went home later that day she felt very guilty about it indeed, and no-one was harder on her than she was on herself.
We see that the horse (Ironically named Prince) was killed by a mailman’s cart, as they had collided. A shaft from the mailman’s cart had gone through Prince’s chest, killing him instantly. This is a very symbolic moment, since the horse was very important to the family, as it was all they had. There was also an interesting motif I recognised, which we shall go through later. As soon Tess had realised exactly what had happened she felt very guilty. This could probably be because she knows how important the horse was to the family and that they did not have to money to get another one, so Tess realised how severely this had affected the family’s income, so she feels incredibly guilty. Remember, she is in a lower class family, so money is tight, so they need all the support they can get, and the horse dying is not something that will help them along.
As soon as Abraham wakes up and finds out what has happened, he says “Tis because we be on a blighted star, and not a sound one, isn't it, Tess?" murmured Abraham through his tears.”
This beautifully illustrates how much Tess has affected him by just one sentence, by just saying to him earlier that they are on a “blighted star” , so Abraham has naturally come to blame fate for what has happened, rather than see this as the fault of Tess, the mailman, or both. Once again fate is blamed, as Hardy has shown that fate is the key reason lives are messed up, not because of choices, but by fate.
An interesting symbol I discovered after analysing this scene is as follows:
As soon as Tess dreamt about the knight grimacing at her, the death of her horse, Prince, occurs; by a forwarding-jutting shaft of metal on the mail coach, which is significantly similar to a wound that could occur from a jousting match between 2 medieval knights. This way her dream of glory, (in this case, medieval glory, having a jousting match) comes true in an odd way, with her horse dying a heroic, brave death. While her dream of meeting a prince gets turned around, as she has to lose her prince, who happens to be her family’s only source of economical provisions, is a catastrophic forewarning of her own (doomed) life story. The death of her horse symbolises forfeiting real-life goods such as their method of transport or even her own honour, through a lot of wishing for a better and easier life.
As Tess’s father discovers that he will not get much money for the dead horse’s hide, he says “When we d'Urbervilles was knights in the land, we didn't sell our chargers for cat's meat.” This shows that John Durbeyfield views himself as a better person with a better thinking frame, as he says this. He refers to back when his ancestors did not sell their horses for money, but he fails to realise that they were higher class, and thus did not need the money as much as he did. He now views himself as a better-off person, who does not require money and can spend “lavishly” on a better inn and take a carriage home rather than going by foot. Once again Hardy illustrates that you can not step out of your class, as John Durbeyfield is trying so hard to achieve.
As Tess’s father is working to bury the horse, the local children and also the family are there. They watch as the horse is laid to rest.
This is another symbolic scene, as Tess’s father buries their horse, in effect; “losing their beloved prince”, this is a very sad moment, and also a moving one, but the others don’t see the problems the loss of the horse will bring to the family, only Tess sees this in its true light. This is another bad sign leading to Tess’s doom.
After this incident, Tess’s mothers tells Tess about the rich Mrs.D’Urberville living at a place called Talbothays.
Tess feels very guilty about the horse and wants to make it up to the family as she strongly believes it was her fault, so she would like to make it up to them. Her mother, who has always seen financial problems, upon seeing this in a way takes advantage of Tess’s mood; and tells her to go to Mrs.D’Urberville and “claim kin” . Basically her mother was hoping that Tess would go and perhaps get married to one of the rich sons they have, being of their family. What she does not know is that the family is not the real D’Urberville family, but actually the Stock-D’Urberville’s, who are a completely different family, but changed their name to look like they are from the great D’Urberville lineage. Tess’s mother hopes that Tess will be somehow get Mrs.D’Urberville round to her and thinking that she is family, and since the family is seeing tough times (they have lost their horse), perhaps Mrs.D’Urberville would recognise them as family and give them some money to help out. At the start of Tess’s conversation with her mother, Tess would not agree to it, saying that she would “Rather try to find work”. This is because, as we observed earlier, Tess does not like to see her family going any lower down the social ladder, as Tess can see the problems that they are having, and she has much pride in herself and her family than to go asking other people for money. So at this point, her mother asked John Durbeyfield to get Tess round to thinking in their view, but John, after his new-found knowledge of being from a noble branch of family, has much to pride in himself, saying: "I don't like my children going and making themselves beholden to strange kin," murmured he. "I'm the head of the noblest branch o' the family, and I ought to live up to it." He knows that they are the only ancestors to this family, hence he would be the head of the family, as in those days men severely dominated women, making him the head of the family, so he would live up to his name and live like grand folk. Once again, he fails to see this as help for the family, he sees this as being a “respected head of the family”, so that he would be called “Sir” and not just by his name. This is because he has always seen lower class life and been always treated like a lower class citizen, he likes this new “respect” that one parson had given him, by calling him by the title of “Sir”, so he has too much pride from this, and would not like to lose his new-found title.
After Tess had gone to the local market, she was on her way home, but she was waiting for her friends to walk with her, so when Alec arrived to talk her home she refused, and waited for the other girls. When the girls were ready, they discovered that one of them, Car Darch had some treacle going down her back, rendering her gown dirty, so she had to rub it on the grass to clean it again. All the other girls started laughing, so Tess started laughing as well. When Car saw this she went up to Tess and offered to start a fight. Tess declined, and then Alec appeared and took her away.
Car Darch had too much pride in herself, and she was probably better off than Tess financially, so when she saw noticed Tess was laughing she got angry and wanted to start a fight. This is because of the social class issue again; Car could not stand someone in lower in the social ladder than she is laughing at her, and so she wanted to fight. This once again shows the class system, Hardy obviously disapproved of this system, hence he wrote about it in this manner. What followed was Tess’ own choice, which led to her losing her “honour”. As the fight was about to start, Alec came by on his horse, and saved Tess. As soon as he had done so, he tried to get recognition from her, to perhaps get a favour from her, as a lover. He made the horse canter (canter is a type of gait a horse has, its not as fast as the gallop but it comes second to it in speed), making Tess feel scared and begging him to slow it down. He did not slow it down but instead told Tess to hold on to him tightly. Then, straight away, he said:
"Neatly done, was it not, dear Tess?" he said by and by.
"Yes!" said she. "I am sure I ought to be much obliged to you."
"And are you?"
She did not reply.”
Here he was trying to make her see him as a better guy, and when she said she “ought to be obliged” to him, he immediately asked her if she was, but she did not reply. This shows that she is saying she would be grateful, but she is not, but she is putting it politely. He asked her on the chance she could say yes she was obliged to him, and then he might reach his goal, which was to get a favour from her as a lover. Then, at once he asked her "Tess, why do you always dislike my kissing you?". Here he tried to catch her out, he asked her in such a way that she would have had to admit that she dislikes his kissing her (a closed question), but she obviously did not wish to admit this, because she believes she “owes” for all the favours he has done for her and her family, so she says, with a pause, "I suppose--because I don't love you.".
By now Tess has begun to get tired, and it was cold, so Alec put his coat and arms round her, all the while taking the horse far away into the woods.
Tess was balanced so Alec put his arms round her to stop her from falling (or so he told her), but really he was jus trying to get more contact with her, by holding her and touching her. When Tess enquires as to why Alec has taken the horse that far into woods, Alec pretends to be lost, so he tucks up Tess so that she can sleep, while he supposedly goes looking for landmarks to find his way home. Jus before he leaves he tells her that her father has now got a new horse and the children now have new toys. Tess says to him "I almost wish you had not--yes, I almost with it!" showing that she now “owes” his again, since he has brought her father a new horse and the children some toys. He thought this would please her but he was wrong. This again shows class very well. Hardy is trying to (and successfully does) paint a picture where you see the higher class people really showing their stuff to the lower class people. Alec, being one of a higher class; views money as the best thing in the world, whereas Tess, who has seen tough times without much money; knows that money is not everything. Alec honestly thinks that because he has brought presents for Tess’s family then she will begin to love him for this. Tess; however; sees beyond this and is only thankful to him, but does not love anymore, in fact, loves him a little less since she realises that he is doing all these things to gain her. Just before Alec gives her his coat, he “examines his prey”, he touches her dress:
Quote:
He touched her with his fingers, which sank into her as into down.
He sank his fingers into her soft body, this was in a way a sign of what was to come, he touched her to see what she was wearing,, then took off his coat and put it on her. After this he went around a few times to find out where he was, and when recognised the contours of a fence covering a highway, he turned back around to go back to Tess. Alec then went looking for Tess and finally found her asleep. At this point; just before Alec was about to take advantage of her sexually, Hardy asks: “Where was Tess’ Guardian angel?” This is because people would believe in guardian angels; and Tess’ one was not there to help her. I think that this is a very powerful symbol too; because Angel “just happens” to be the man that Tess was not able to dance with; and he could have been her saviour, her “knight in shining armour”. Had be danced with Tess’ perhaps this could have lead to them getting married and the encounter with Alec could have been avoided. This shows that Thomas Hardy does not believe in religion; nor good fate; or guardian angels or such; because he says that the angel was not there to help her. At this point; Alec raped Tess.
I think that Tess was a toy in the hands of fate; but only due to her own actions as well. She is described as a “toy in the hands of fate” because most of what happens to her is because of fate messing with her life. Here are some points where fate has taken control:
- Her father’s meeting with Parson Tringham
- Her father getting too drunk to sell his stock
- Simon Stokes changing his family name from Stoke to D’Urberville
- Angel not choosing not dance with Tess; if he had perhaps her life would have been much better and would not have involved the treacherous Alec.
- The accidental death of Prince their horse
- Tess’ bad luck in being held up with her drunken friends (this is the scene right before she gets raped)
- When Mrs.D’Urberville sends Tess a offering her a job looking after the fowls; but when Tess looks for nearby jobs she finds none
These are more than enough points to show that fate has been playing around with Tess. I think that although this novel is rich in symbolism; shows Tess as a toy in the hands of fate; illustrates the traits of social class; still seems unrealistic as bad luck seems to pile up on her.
But I still think that Tess is a toy in the hands of fate because of the way the things happen to her; they would be near impossible to happen in other circumstances.
Thomas Hardy has very strong views and she shows them beautifully. He shows that social class is very backward and causes many a life to be treated unfairly. He also does not like the stand that women were given in those times, the women have no control and just get dominate dby men. Thomas Hardy also does not believe in religion; as he clearly shows that although they are religious fate is still treating Tess the wrong way. He even goes so far as to say “Where was Tess’ guardian angel now”; because in religions there are things such as guardian angels; but Tess’ one was not present to save her; thus showing religion as useless.
Overall; I think that this novel is a tragic one; showing Hardy’s views on life; status of women, class, fate and religion.
Kamran Ali 11.1