Tess of the D’urbervilles
Tracy Neal
Eng 480
Professor Judith Broome
March 23, 2011 Tess of the D’Urbervilles
As we read the classic novel, Tess of the D’Urbervilles, written by Thomas Hardy, we find discreet criticisms of the Victorian ideas of social classes, as well as the Victorian practices of male domination of women. If the reader looks superficially at the novel through the perspective of entertainment or a good read, the reader will ultimately miss the critical underpinnings of Victorian thought processes and ideals. The reader must analyze the text and main characters closely in order to grasp the point that Hardy is trying to make; namely that ability to have the privilege of personal rights and power based on position of social class or on gender is wrong. The Victorian Society, at that time, was composed of the thought process that the upper-class or nobility could basically get away with all sorts of injustice against women or against classes lower than themselves simply due to rank. In addition to social class status, men were able to get away with injustices against women simply due to gender. Hardy, through writing this novel, was able to discreetly criticize these ideas and societal norms using three predominant characters, Tess Durbeyfield, Alec D’Urberville, and Angel Clare. We are first introduced to Tess Durbeyfield in chapter two of the book as her father has just found out that he is a descendant of English nobility. When the author introduces her he states, “She was a fine and handsome girl – not handsomer that some others, possibly – but her mobile peony mouth and large innocent eyes added eloquence to colour and shape.” (20) He further states, “Phases of her childhood lurked in her aspect still. As she walked along to-day, for all her bouncing handsome womanliness, you could sometimes see her twelfth year in her cheeks, or her ninth sparkling from her eyes; and even her fifth would flit over the curves of her mouth now and then. Yet few knew, and
Eng 480
Professor Judith Broome
March 23, 2011 Tess of the D’Urbervilles
As we read the classic novel, Tess of the D’Urbervilles, written by Thomas Hardy, we find discreet criticisms of the Victorian ideas of social classes, as well as the Victorian practices of male domination of women. If the reader looks superficially at the novel through the perspective of entertainment or a good read, the reader will ultimately miss the critical underpinnings of Victorian thought processes and ideals. The reader must analyze the text and main characters closely in order to grasp the point that Hardy is trying to make; namely that ability to have the privilege of personal rights and power based on position of social class or on gender is wrong. The Victorian Society, at that time, was composed of the thought process that the upper-class or nobility could basically get away with all sorts of injustice against women or against classes lower than themselves simply due to rank. In addition to social class status, men were able to get away with injustices against women simply due to gender. Hardy, through writing this novel, was able to discreetly criticize these ideas and societal norms using three predominant characters, Tess Durbeyfield, Alec D’Urberville, and Angel Clare. We are first introduced to Tess Durbeyfield in chapter two of the book as her father has just found out that he is a descendant of English nobility. When the author introduces her he states, “She was a fine and handsome girl – not handsomer that some others, possibly – but her mobile peony mouth and large innocent eyes added eloquence to colour and shape.” (20) He further states, “Phases of her childhood lurked in her aspect still. As she walked along to-day, for all her bouncing handsome womanliness, you could sometimes see her twelfth year in her cheeks, or her ninth sparkling from her eyes; and even her fifth would flit over the curves of her mouth now and then. Yet few knew, and