Set in Wessex, "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" is a novel, which disregards the conventions of sexual morality on women. Hardy produced a very sensitive view of women
"Tess of the D'Urbervilles" Coursework
"Tess of the D'Urbervilles" was published in 1891. Set in Wessex, "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" is a novel, which disregards the conventions of sexual morality on women. Hardy produced a very sensitive view of women through his portrayal of Tess, in this book. He connects Tess with nature, because he believed that women were more closely tied to nature than men and this is shown through his description of the settings. This idea meant that there was going to be clashes with artificial laws of morality and his view of women was in conflict with the accepted view of women, at the time.
It's subtitle "A pure woman" infuriated critics as no writer in the 19th century could seriously imagine that a woman heroine who has a illegitimate child and ends up committing murder could uncontroversially be called "pure". Hardy Wanted people to discuss this subtitle. The subtitle was condemned immoral and pessimistic.
Hardy tells the story of Tess Durbeyfield, the daughter of a poor villager, who finds out that his family may have descended from a noble ancestry. The novel explores through Tess's relationship with two different men, Angel and Alec D'Urberville. She has an illegitimate child with Alec, after he raped her.
Tess went to Alec D'Urbervilles house because she believed that they were her relatives, who could give her family some money, after their horse had died. Alec D'Urberville had been flirting with her, throughout her visit to his house. One night in the woods, Alec rapes her, which leads to her having a baby.
Society back then would have seen Tess as a repulsive unethical woman, if she had a child without being married. It went against all traditions in there society. They did not even care, that she had been raped. Society then discriminated women and if a child was illegitimate it was blamed on the mother. The subtitle shows Hardy thought society was wrong in its views, not Tess.
One of the ways in which Hardy uses setting to show Tess's emotions is through the sun. Hardy describes the sun as bright and life-giving but also points out its ability to take away life, at the beginning of the chapter. Hardy describes the sun as a "God like creature." To show that it can give and takeaway life. In the second paragraph of chapter 14, Hardy describes the sun as if it was a kid looking down on the earth "...gazing down in the vigour and intentness of youth upon an Earth that was brimming with interest ...
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One of the ways in which Hardy uses setting to show Tess's emotions is through the sun. Hardy describes the sun as bright and life-giving but also points out its ability to take away life, at the beginning of the chapter. Hardy describes the sun as a "God like creature." To show that it can give and takeaway life. In the second paragraph of chapter 14, Hardy describes the sun as if it was a kid looking down on the earth "...gazing down in the vigour and intentness of youth upon an Earth that was brimming with interest for him." Hardy is comparing the sun to Tess's newborn baby and how Tess feels about the baby.
At the end of chapter 14, there is a darkness that suggests that hardy does not like the behaviour of the priest towards Tess's dead baby. The priest would not let Tess bury her baby in a descent spot. He wanted the baby to buried with the murderers, rapists and criminals, as it was an illegitimate child "...and where all unbaptised infants, notorious drunkards, suicides and others of conjecturally damned are laid." Tess had to baptise the baby herself, as her father would not let her out of the house. Society from then believed an unbaptised baby, would go straight to hell. "... and thus the girl set about baptising her child."
Although it was unknown, Hardy himself was an illegitimate child, so he knew how Tess was going to feel, as he had seen what had happened to his mother.
After spending a couple of years at home, Tess leaves to make a new start in Talbothays, as a dairymaid, following in her mother's footsteps. There she falls in love with Angel but is uncertain of telling him about her past.
Hardy uses the description of Tess's background to suggest that something more positive is going to happen to Tess, in the near future. He suggests that this is a new beginning for Tess by comparing her to birds hatching, which is a sign of new life and a new beginning. "On a THYME-SCENTED, bird hatching morning in May..." Hardy makes Talbothays seem like a warm, beautiful place by his descriptions. He describes the landscape as being rich and beautiful by comparing it to milk and butter "... The valley of the great dairies, the valley in which in which milk and butter grew to rankness" He describes the cows stretching across the landscape from east to west and claims that the air is much cleaner than any other place Tess has been "... the new air was clear..." He shows us that Tess is enjoying her life here very much and she thinks no-one would know about her past to judge her upon it here "...sense of being amid new scenes where there were no invidious very upon her, sent up here spirits wonderfully." Hardy mentions that women are more closely tied to nature than men and that's why he uses landscape to affect the mood of Tess "... women whose chief companions are the forms and forces of outdoor Nature retain in their souls far more of the Pagans fantasy of their remote forefathers". In this part of the book Hardy mentions a river of life, in reference; to the baptism of Tess's baby "The Froom waters were as clear as the pure River of Life shown to evangelist"
Hardy also describes a dark patch in the landscape, which represents Tess's past "...a dark patch in the scenery" Tess's ancestors were buried there and she did not like them, as she believed they led here to all of this trouble "... In the church of which parish the bones of her ancestors lay-her useless ancestors-lay entombed." This sentence also shows us that however far Tess goes her past will follow her.
In Talbothays she meets Angel, who she soon marries. On their wedding night Tess tells angel about her, dreadful past. Angel also confesses about his affairs with other women. This shows Victorian double standards because Angel couldn't deal with Tess's past when he had one of his own.
Tess then has to move to Flintcomb-Ash, which is the totally opposite to Talbothays, to look for work. At Flintcomb-Ash she feels absolutely miserable and this is probably the lowest point in her life. To make matters worse, she meets Alec again who had turned to preaching. Immediately after seeing Tess, Alec turned back to his old flirty and womanising self. Alec then forces her to marry him if she wants any money for her and her family. The scenery also reflects on what kind of person Alec is and what is going to happen to Tess.
Flintcomb-Ash is the complete opposite to the warm and joyous Talbothays. This contrast represents what Tess used to be and what she has turned in the eyes of society. The weather here is very miserable which reflects on Tess's life; after she had lost her baby and love, angel, and then marries the man who molested her. Hardy describes the place as being lifeless and having no purpose which is what Tess Feels like "There were few trees or none" Again the weather represents what Tess feels like which is depressed "...were blown white and dusty, after a few hours rain" Hardy's description of setting not only reflects on Tess and what is going to happen to her but it also reflects on the personality of Alec D'Urberville "Here the air was cold and dry"
Hardy describes a threshing machine in this part of the book. We were introduced to a threshing machine before in this book, but unlike now, the machine was described as a fun and great machine. Now it is described as a devil and tyrant "...was the red tyrant that the women had come to serve" Hardy describes the threshing machines to represent what is happening to Tess. Hardy's comparison shows us how quickly Tess's life has changed, from a innocent girl to a disrespected woman.
After a while, Angel returns to Tess, but finds out she is married to Alec. Tess then kills Alec and runs off with Angel. They spend a few days to together, which they enjoy, but after that Tess is caught and killed. Angel and Tess sister comfort each other after her death, and soon marry each other.
In this novel, Hardy bases everything on setting. He uses a great deal of description on settings. The setting helps the reader know what is going to happen to Tess and how she feels. He uses the surroundings and weather to give us a picture of how Tess feels. His description of scenery reflect on Tess's feelings accurately, but sometimes Hardy describes too much and goes off the point, in this book. Hardy's descriptions of setting, also makes reference to society and social expectations. Hardy believed that society's view of women was wrong and emphasised it in his books. He compares women with nature, as he believed they were closer tied to nature than men.
Hardy use of setting is very important in "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" The setting reflects on Tess's life throughout this book, giving us an insight into Tess's life and all other mistreated women. He also uses the setting to help predict the future for Tess in this book, which is really clever.
