Description
Tess of the D’Urbervilles, written by Thomas Hardy and first published in 1891, is a powerful and tragic novel that explores the life of Tess Durbeyfield, a young woman from a rural English village whose life is shaped by a series of unfortunate events and the rigid social mores of Victorian society.
The novel begins with Tess’s impoverished family discovering that they may be descended from the noble D’Urberville line. This revelation sets the plot in motion, leading Tess to seek help from the wealthy D’Urbervilles, where she encounters Alec D’Urberville, a manipulative man who ultimately seduces and violates her. This act sets off a chain of events that lead to Tess’s downfall.
Tess later meets and falls in love with Angel Clare, a young man of higher social standing. Despite her love for Angel, Tess’s past continues to haunt her, and the revelation of her previous encounter with Alec shatters her relationship with Angel, leading to further hardship and despair. Throughout the novel, Tess struggles against the moral judgments of society and the harsh realities of life, but she remains a deeply sympathetic and resilient character.
Hardy uses Tess’s story to critique the social and sexual double standards of his time, particularly the harsh treatment of women who are judged by their perceived purity or lack thereof. The novel also reflects Hardy’s views on fate, as Tess seems to be a victim of circumstances beyond her control, caught in a web of societal expectations and misfortunes.
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