Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles

Tess of the d'Urbervilles

Through life people may fault, or get on the wrong side of the

tracks. Yet hopefully they keep faith and then willingly they may

recoup and redeem themselves by recovering. Many believe that,

Tess in, Tess of the d'Urbervilles was a great example of

this. In Hardy's Victorian age novel, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, he

illustrates casual wrong, the will to recover, the growth of love, and

death.

Almost everybody has done something casually wrong and

not think much of it, many call this indifferent nature. Tess is no

stranger to casual wrong. Throughout her life indifferent nature has

occurred. Her parents were not the greatest of parents. She had a

tough life, she was poor. When she met Alec d'Urberville, she was

considerate and kind, but later on Alec took advantage of her and

seduced her in a forest called the Chase,

"He knelt and bent lower, till her breath warmed his

face, and in a moment his cheek was in contact with

hers. She was sleeping soundly, and upon her

eyelashes there lingered tears." 1

She then later fell in love with Angel, and married him. Angel

found out about Tess' past experience with Alec, and he could not

forgive her, even though it was all Alec's doing. Thus it is clear

that casual wrong follows her and yet the wrong is not made by

her.

Tess' true strength is her determination to overcome her

misfortunes. When the Durbeyfields' horse, Prince died, Tess took

control of the situation of the horse's death and the beehive

delivery.

She takes care of the kids and she had done well in school, even

though Tess seems to go nowhere. Also when she leaves her job of

taking care of the flock at the d'Urberville household, because of

her experience with Alec, it showed she tried to take control of the

situation. Even when Alec was following her home on his carriage

asking her why she left,

'Her lip lifted slightly, though there was little scorn, as

a rule, in her large and impulsive nature. "I have said I

will not take anything more from you, and I will not-I

cannot! I should be your creature to go on doing that,

and I won't"' 2

Indeed it is shown that Tess has a very strong will to recover.