“Abraham talked on… leant back against the hives, and with
Upturned face made observations on the stars, whose cold
Pulses were beating amid the black hollows above, in
Serene dissociation from these two wisps of humanity”
Hardy places Tess in a world of disharmony whilst on the trip, during the journey Tess falls asleep, causing the horse that is leading their cart to collide with a mail cart, fatally injuring her horse. By allowing this accident to take place while Tess is quite defenceless, Hardy portrays her as a victim of fate.
It is the death of the horse, Prince, the Durbeyfield’s main source of livelihood that commences the horrible circumstances that Tess will later face. Tess views herself as the cause of her family’s economic downfall, however she also believes she is a “murderess”. The imagery, which Hardy uses at this point in the novel, shows how distraught and guilty Tess is. She “places her hand upon Prince’s wound in a futile attempt to prevent the blood loss that cannot be prevented”. Tess perceives herself to be a “murderess”; it is symbolic because she eventually commits an actual “murder”, later on in the novel.
Tess’s parents are aware of her beauty, but, rather than appreciating it for what it is, they view it as an opportunity for future wealth. With the guilt of the unfortunate circumstance of Prince’s death, Tess is to venture away from the world of her birth in order to obtain money for her family. She goes In search of ancient family connections in the hope of getting a job. It is Trantridge that she first meets the sexually dominating, Alec D’urberville, whom she is later to fall victim to. Alec’s first words to Tess, are, “Well, my beauty, what can I do for you?” This indicates that his first impression of Tess is that he is sexually attracted to her. Alec then tries to charm Tess by pushing strawberries into her mouth and pressing roses into her bosom. These fruits of love are an indication of Alec’s sexual desire for Tess as he preys upon her innocence. You can tell however that Tess feels very uncomfortable with this behaviour. Her weakness is obvious to Alec, which gives him more power. Also we can tell that Tess feels really uncomfortable around Alec as he keeps on suggesting comments, “Tess why do you dislike me kissing you?” Alec also makes a lot of other comments and goes to kiss Tess. Tess being a weak character doesn’t say no strongly enough to Alec when all of these comments and actions are happening, so he keeps trying and trying. Also with Tess calling him “Sir”, it will give him a sense of power and authority over her.
One evening, as Tess is walking home from a dance, Alec rescues her from an argument. He offers to take her home on his horse, but instead he leads them into a fog, forcing them far away from their destination. The fog literally and metaphorically hinders the ability to see. Tess is overcome by weariness and makes a bed upon the leaves on which to sleep. Tess then unwillingly becomes a victim to Alec’s inhumane, violent and aggressive sexual behaviour. Alex takes advantage of her whilst alone in the woods and rapes her. Tess has fallen victim to the cruel side if human nature as Alec had taken advantage of her vulnerability. Hardy never clearly mentioned that Tess had been raped. But it was clear to the reader that she had as she later falls pregnant. So at this point in the novel Tess’s innocence had been lost.
After this sexual violation, Tess feels home. Returning to work in the field, Tess witnesses the rabbits being forced to shelter as the cornrows are reaped and the harvesters kill every one of them. This is symbolic of Tess’s own situations as she is being separated little by little from family and friends and from her childhood innocence. She now feels very lonely. Her baby, Sorrow, dies.
In an attempt to a new beginning in life. Tess decides to move away from Marlott to Talbothays Dairy, where know one will know of her past. She has recovered fro her recent tragic experiences, she is a lot stronger and healed, and she is looking forward to the future. Just as in the world of plants and animals, life renews itself in the spring, so life is renewed in Tess. Talbothays Dairy is the phase of Tess’s life in which she experiences her only period of sheer happiness.
Set in the month of “May” on a “thyme – scented, bird hatching morning”. Here Hardy creates, a sense of joy, he illustrates images of growth and fertility. As Tess’s journey to the “Lush Froom Valley”, she “felt akin to the landscape”. Though she may have felt cut off from the community at Marlott, Hardy shows the reader here that she is very much a part of nature; she still has a chance of renewing her life. Tess and the land reflect each other. Whilst Tess is on her journey there are plenty of descriptions of the landscape, the great use of colour, is to suggest the richness of the place.
As Tess is venturing into the world of Talbothays, the description of her surroundings and their effect on her spirits are indicators of the favourable events before her.
“Either the change in the quality of the air from heavy
to light or the sense of being amid new scenes where
there were no invidious eyes upon her, sent up
her spirits wonderfully.”
Here Hardy is saying that the “light” atmosphere and the new scenery is setting Tess’s spirits up wonderfully, she is looking forward to what is going to be ahead of her.
“Her hopes mingled with the sunshine in an ideal
Photosphere, which surrounded her as she
bounded along against the soft South wind.
She heard a pleasant voice in every breeze,
And in every birds note seemed to lurk a joy”
“Her hopes mingled with the sunshine”, means that for a time, her emotions are a part of nature. The birds are symbols of the freedom and lightness that are before Tess in her life at the Dairy.
Tess’s arrival at Talbothays coincides with the “heavy movement of the herd, full ready for milking”, suggesting the “fulfilment” of the place, life of plenty of richness. The people at Talbothays are very kind, warm people. Mr Crick offers Tess food. However Tess prefers to drink milk, which suggests to the reader her renewed appetite for life.
Whilst Tess is with the other dairymaids, she falls asleep amid the talk of Angel Clare, and the smell of cheeses in her nostrils.
In a “Typical evening in June”, Tess is drawn to the music which Angel is playing on his harp “like a fascinated bird” Tess is drawn through a “Weed – overgrown garden” “rank with juicy grass, which sent up mists of pollen at a
touch, and with tall, blooming weeds emitting
offensive smells.”
“Cuckoo – spittle stains her skirt, she steps on snails, and thistle milk and slug – slime rub on her arms” These vivid specific details enable the reader to picture the scenery and Tess. Hardy is painting nature’s variety; it’s ugliness, beauty, repulsiveness and attracting force. It is an unpleasant ground a (reminiscent of Sorrow’s Burial ground) suggesting the distance she has come in order to meet Angel. Tess also here shows Angel, that she is not scared of the wilderness.
Whilst Tess and Angel are talking about Lords and Ladies, Angel is drawn to Tess in his vision of rural idyll. They both are beginning to spend time alone.
“The season developed and matured.”
These opening lines emphasise the rich fertility of the season, for example flowers reaching perfection, the lives of the workers are very comfortable and contented. “The season developed and matured”, is also reflecting the progress of the relationship between Tess and Angel. Hardy makes many references to the cycle of nature, and these references seem to reflect the course of Tess and Angel’s relationship. For example,
“Converging… as two streams in one Vale.”
At this point in the novel Tess has reached the peak of her happiness. She was “Physically and mentally suited among these new surroundings.” However when Hardy says, “Tess had never in her recent life been so happy as she was now, possibly never would be so happy again.” He is stating that this happiness will be short – live, foreshadowing greater adversity for Tess.
Tess and Angel begin to “meet continually” they have early morning meetings, “in the violet or pink dawn” Here Hardy is reflecting the (beauty romance). “in the humid air”.
“They seemed to themselves the first persons up
of all the world”.
Here Hardy may be suggesting their passion.
“Aqueous light, which pervaded the open mead, impressed
them with a feeling of isolation, as if they were Adam and Eve”.
As Hardy compares Tess and Angel to ‘Adam and Eve’ it is creating a strong image of the potency of their relationship.
“In these long June days”, the heat of summer coincides with Tess's acknowledgement of her feelings for Angel. Mrs Crick insinuates that a romance in her household is the cause for the butter refusing to churn. Also the good weather seems to torment Tess, agonised sense of her past.
Talbothays Dairy is glowing with joy and this warmth finds its way to a well – needing Tess. Tess is able to feel happy again and “that she really had laid a new fountain for her future.” This happy feeling continues throughout Tess’s stay, as she falls in love with Angel.
Angel and Tess are married. They both then go and live in an old D’urberville house near Welbridge Mill. As they are leaving Talbothays Dairy they hear a cockcrow, the farm dairy – folk immediately thinks of the old wife’s tale of an afternoon cock meaning bad luck. While they try to dismiss it saying that it’s, “not what you think, tis impossible!” Its sets the backdrop for what is to come.
The mood and setting upon their arrival to the house are ominous, continuing the cock’s effect. Tess is depressed by the house, exclaiming “Those horrid women!” when she sees portraits of her ancestors. As the night grew longer.
“The restful dead leaves of the preceding autumn were
stirred to irritated resurrection, and whirled about
unwillingly, and taped against the shutters.”
Then it soon began to rain. Tess’s happiness begins to falter with the rain. She proceeds to tell Angel the story of her past.
“While, the ashes under the grate were lit by the fire
vertically, like a torrid waste.”
Hardy describes the coals in the fire as having “a last day luridness” which penetrates to Tess, and results in her separating from Angel. This mysterious atmosphere is portrayed by Hardy in order to be a turning point and start the decrease of Tess’s joy.
As a result of Tess’s past, Angel was devastated, so he left her to fend for herself. Angel then went to Brazil and Tess went to work at Flint Comb – Ash.
Flint Comb – Ash is shown as a brutally unforgiving place. It is through this dismal atmosphere that hardy shows when Tess hits the bottom of her happiness.
Whilst Tess is heading towards Flint Comb – Ash Hardy shows the change. The air was ‘dry and cold’ and the “long cart – roads were blown white and dusty within a few hours after the rain”. Tess becomes a part of the, “Stroke of raindrops, the burn of sunbeams, and the stress of winds.” “There is no passion in her now”. Tess finds herself approaching an area of “irregular chalk – table land” compared to the lush. Green fields of Talbothays Dairy. She enters the “remains of a village… in a slight depression”.
The land is horrid with its “Stubborn soil” and Tess realises that “the walls seem to be the only friend she has”. It is appropriate that the village is filled with dismal, horrid descriptions, as this is exactly how Tess feels.
Tess’s loneliness, like that of the village “was excessive”. This gloom remains with her for as long ash she stays at Flint Comb – Ash.
It is significant of all the hardships Tess has passed through, from her experiences with Alec to her strife with angel, that Tess sees the “desolate drab” of a land in different “degrees of dampness”. Tess’s heart is as cold as the land. Flint Comb – Ash makes Tess spiritless. She is dismal without Angel and will remain so for as long as she stays.
Talbothays and Flint Comb – Ash differ extremely in their descriptions. Talbothays was a utopia in Tess’s life. It was depicted with luscious greenery and rolling hills. It was located in the Vale of Froom, which was known for its rich and fertile soil. There nothing could bother Tess. However Flint Comb – Ash was a Barron wasteland, characterized by total misery and pain. It was a cruel place in which Tess spent the worst days of her life. But at the same time she began to appreciate her days at Talbothays. Hardy was able to show through his descriptions of these places how Tess felt throughout the novel. These descriptions let the reader not only see both places, but to feel them as well. This allowed the reader to understand Tess’s situation and also take pity on her. The contrast between Talbothays and Flint Comb – Ash was used to symbolise the enormous conflict Tess’s life dealt with.