The difference between the rich and the poor is that, the rich people were respected and the poor people were treated like dirt as if inferior. Hardy believed that the rich people had a responsibility upon them that they should be looking after the people below them, because just like the rich are educated the poor should also get a chance of being educated. Tess’s social class was such that she wasn’t able to read and write extensively. She has to work for Alec, because she says ‘I killed the old horse, and I suppose I ought to do something to get ye a new one’. This shows us that she has a responsibility to look after her parents because she killed the horse. If Tess wasn’t from the masses them she would have been able read novels, books and go to school then she would have been aware of the dangers of men folk. Hardy also believes that there should be no such things as social class because he thinks everyone should be treated equally and should have the same rights.
The novel centres around a young girl from a little village called Marlott, who struggles to find her place in society. It is discovered that the lower class D’Urbeyfield family is in reality the D’Urbervilles, the last of the famous bloodline that dates back hundreds of years “Durbeyfield, that you are the lineal representative of the ancient and knightly family of the d’Urbervilles”. Her mother sends her eldest daughter, Tess to beg for money from relations with the obvious desire that Tess wed the rich Mr D’Uberville. Tess listens to her mother because she knows that if she doesn’t go to beg for money her family will suffer. “What will mother and father live on now?” This suggests that Tess knows what she has to do for the family because they won’t have anything to eat or live on. Tess is the eldest in the family and has to look after her family. Tess is not educated and she can’t read or write. Tess is very naïve and gullible this shows us that Tess can be trustworthy in some cases.
In the beginning of the novel Tess’s family are a poor family. Hey are called the D’Uberfield until Tess’s father finds out about their linage. He finds out that his family has a lot more status and lineage and for some reason his family name got changed. ‘There’s a great rich lady out by Trantridge on the edge of the chase, of the name of ‘D’Uberville’. After hearing about this Tess is father started to act like a real gentlemen. ‘Sir John D’Uberville – that’s who I am; continued the prostrated man’. John D’Uberville starts to show off when he finds out about his lineage. D’Urbeyfield decides he must behave according to his new status. Tess’s parents go to the pub to celebrate about their lineage. ‘We’ve been found to be the greatest gentlefolk in the whole country’. This shows us that Tess’s father is boasting about his ancestors because he had the lineage in his family, but then the family went down the slope of poverty. This also suggests that Tess’s family are in need and would take any opportunity to do so.
Fate is a theme in the novel. As well as Tess being fatalistic, her mother adopts a fatalistic view. ‘Well, we make the best of it, I suppose. Tis nater, after all, and what do please God’. This shows as that Tess’s mother rejects responsibility and adopts a fatalistic view. Through out the novel, Tess is life is controlled by fate. (I have to add a quote). When Tess’s father finds out about his lineage. ‘D’Urbervilles accordingly was annexed to his own name for himself and his heirs eternally’. This tells us that the theme of fate is explored when Thomas Hardy writes about the history of the D’Urbervilles. Fate also plays a role in Tess’s life. ‘Tess hoped to be a teacher at the school, but the fates seemed to decide otherwise’. This shows as that faith is major scene in the novel and controls Tess throughout. After Tess got raped, her own people also adopt a fatalistic view. ‘Tess’s own people…. Never tired saying among each other in their fatalistic way “it was to be”’. Hardy shows the fatalistic view of the working classes and how there lack of power meant that simply accepted.
Tess’s parents are planning to send Tess to their new cousins the D’Urbervilles, so that she can go ask for some money or help because she killed the horse. ‘I killed the old horse and I suppose I ought to do something to get ye a new one’. This shows us that Tess takes the responsibility because she kill’s Prince and she thinks that she has to do something to get to help her parents out. Her parents also wanted her to get married with a gentleman who had money, power and status even if they didn’t now him. ‘He’ll marry her most likely and make a lady of her’. This show us that her mother wants here to marry him and also shows as that her mother wants to fulfil her ambition and don’t understand her daughter. When she finds out about this Tess refuses to go because she doesn’t want to beg. ‘I’d rather try to get work’. This tells us that Tess has her pride and dignity; she’s an independent, hard working and she doesn’t mind doing all the hard work. Finally Tess decides to go and work for Alec because she has no choice and she wants to look after her family. Tess has always put her family first no matter what happens. ‘Tis all my doing – all mine! ... NO excuse for me – none – what will mother and father live on now?’ This shows us that Tess is very emotional and feels guilty for what she has done to the horse and now she wants to help her family out. Tess goes to the D’Urbervilles and ends up meeting Alec.
Alec is not really a D’Urberville his father simply took the name of the ancient noble family after he built his mansion and retired. Alec is a manipulative, sinister young man, and does everything he can to seduce the inexperienced Tess when she comes to work for his family. Alec flirts with Tess a lot and finds her very attractive. ‘Imparted to her developed figure….belied her age. This shows us that Tess looks physically developed and it puts her in to a very dangerous position and Alec is only interested in her appearance. Tess is very shy and has never had any attention from any men before and she doesn’t now how to behave in front of them. ‘Alec looked at Tess as he spoke, in a way which made her blush a little’. Alec continues to flirt with Tess whom she didn’t like at all, he also feeds her strawberries. ‘In a slight distress she parts her lips and took it in’. Thomas Hardy uses phallic imagery to warm the readers that Tess will be exploited later on. Even though Tess may feel uncomfortable working for Alec, she has no choice because she needs the money for her family. “What will mother and father live on now?”
Mr D’Urberville takes advantage of Tess’s naïve attitude. Alec is trying to fool Tess by telling her that he is going to take her home but he has something else in his mind. Alec has given gifts to her family, which makes her feel as if she owes Alec something. “I didn’t know – you ever sent them anything! ....I almost wish you had not – yes, I almost wish it? This suggests Alec is very manipulative because he chooses this moment to tell her which make she think that she will have to pay him back. Alec always tries to play with Tess’s feelings, “you don’t give me your mouth and kiss me back” this shows us that Tess is pure because she doesn’t chose to kiss Alec. Alec also makes Tess feel bad when he says “for nearly three months you have trifled with my feelings” he tells her that she’s been teasing and playing with him, this is ironic because he thinks he is the victim whereas Tess is.
When Carr Darch is jealous of Tess and thinks Tess is getting more attention from Alec and she also thinks that she is trying to take Alec away from her. “Till lately a favourites of D’Urberville” Carr Darch says to Tess that’s why is she laughing at her and tries to beat her up, Tess is stunned because she has never got into a fight before, she just wants to leave from that place. “Tess was indignant and ashamed. She no longer minded the loneliness of the way and the lateness of the hour; her one object was to get away from the whole crew as soon as possible’. Tess did not care if she had to walk home alone but she just wanted to get out of there. This shows how desperate she was to get away and unexpectedly Alec turns up on his horse ‘A horseman emerged almost silently from the corner of the hedge that screened the road’. Tess does not want to go with Alec but has no other option ‘but coming as the invitation did at the particular juncture…she abandoned herself to her impulse, climbed the gate, put her toe upon his instep and scrambled into the saddle behind him’, this shows evidence that Tess was desperate to get away from the crowd. She was helpless and that’s why she goes with Alec on the horse. This passage reflects the decency and simple aspects of purity. Tess evolves around the virtuous side of purity, Tess is a straight forward person, and she’s naive that’s why she doesn’t argue with Carr Darch. In this passage ‘out of the frying pan into the fire’ Carr Darch’s words tell us that Tess has gone from one bad place to a much worse place. At this point ‘ you don’t give me your mouth and kiss me back, you never willingly do that – you’ll never love me – I fear’ Hardy suggests that Tess is pure because she does not kiss him back but he takes away her human volition. After Tess is raped and sexually exploited by Alec she wants to be let set free. Tess feels tremendously ashamed of her self because if she did not run away with Alec from Carr Darch then she wouldn’t of had got seduced by Alec.
In the second phase called ‘Maiden No More’. Tess is pregnant and goes home from Trantridge, she feels dishonoured of herself so she decides to stay out of sight. After a few months she has a baby called Sorrow and decides to go back to work so she can finically provide her son Sorrow and her self. When Tess wants to get her child baptised, the church refuses because Tess is not married. Tess finally decides that she will give her son a baptise ‘Sorrow I baptise thee in the name of the father and the son…’ this shows as that Tess is a pure mother for the reason that she baptised her son, even though the church refused her. Sorrow falls poorly and dies. When Tess wasn’t to give her child a Christian burial, the vicar behaves in a completely unchristian manner. He is cruel and judges Tess as a sinner who does not have the right to turn to God. This is not the way we would expect a religious man to behave and shows how he is heartless. Hardy’s views on the church are pessimistic, one of the major principles of Christianity is forgiveness and mercy which the priest doesn’t give to Tess, this suggests that they are hypocrites and cannot understand that Tess got raped and she did not wish to. Tess is so hurt when she hears how Sorrow will not be given a Christian burial that she shouts angrily at the vicar ‘I don’t like you….and I’ll never come to church no more!’ Tess then decides to bury Sorrow herself ‘under and ancient woman’s shawl, to the churchyard that night and buried by lantern light at the cost of a shilling where all unbaptised infants’. Sorrow is buried in the place where each and every one child who were not baptised are buried. ‘Tess bravely made a little cross of two laths and a piece of string … she stuck it up at the head of the grave’. This suggests that Tess made a little cross for the little grave.
Tess leaves Marlott once again to work at Talbothays dairy, where she works for Richard Crick and finds that Angel Clare, whom she vaguely remembers, now works at the dairy. His brothers are each clergymen and he was expected to be as well, Angel did not attend college because of philosophical and religious differences with his father and established church doctrine. He works at Talbothays to study the workings of a dairy in preparation for owning a farm himself one day. Tess and Angel fall in love with each other. The connotations of the name ‘Angel’ suggest someone who’s good, pure and it’s a heavenly name. They grow closer together throughout Tess's time at Talbothays, and she eventually accepts his proposal to marry him. Still, she is troubled by pangs of conscience and feels she should tell Angel about her past. She tries to write him a confessional note and slip it under his door, but it slides under the carpet; Angel never sees it. After their wedding, Angel and Tess both confess indiscretions: Angel tells Tess about an affair he had with an older woman in London, and Tess tells Angel about her history with Alec. Tess forgives Angel, but Angel cannot forgive Tess; he gives her some money and boards a ship bound for Brazil, where he thinks he might establish a farm. He tells Tess he will try to accept her past, but warns her not to contact him until he comes for her. Angel leaves Tess money which she uses to mend her parents house. When her family asks her where she gets the money from she says she got it from Angel because if she lies to them that she is no longer with Angel then they won’t have the same respect as before. Tess then decides to work since she has no money for herself and her family. Tess finally finds some work at flintcomb – ash where she has to work really hard. While Tess is working she meets Alec who has converted and is preaching in a barn, Alec is shown to be a hypocrite. Thomas Hardy shows that Alec preaching to show that rich people’s life is simple and the poor people have to always endure difficulties. Thomas Hardy juxtaposes to Alec’s life to Tess’s life so that he can disapprove of the Victorian nouveaux males who use their power to abuse the poor working class women.
To conclude I think that Tess is pure because of her innocence which is reflected throughout the story. I strongly believe she is pure and agree with Hardy’s subtitle ‘A Pure Women’. It is not Tess’s fault she gets exploited but her fate, therefore I believe we showed not blame her but her fate.
