Author: Thomas Hardy

My thoughts:

      The heroine of the book--- Tess is a beautiful country girl. She is a daughter of a farmer. Born in such a humble family, young Tess is sent to get connection with a richer branch of D’Urbervilles family. From then on, her life fell into a mess. The master of the house, Alec has a crush on lovely Tess at first sight. He tries all the possible ways to please Tess. At last, he seduces poor Tess. Tess has to return home in disgrace. After giving birth to a child that dies in infancy, she leaves home to work in Talbothays as a dairymaid where she encounters with Angel Clare, son of a disciplined clergyman. Gradually, Angel falls in love with this extraordinary lady. But as for Tess, she makes painful struggle in mind before she accepts Angel’s proposal. On the night of their wedding, the new couple decides to honest to each other’s past. Unfortunately, Angel refuse to forgive her past, even though he himself has made the same kind of mistake. In disappointment, he escapes to Brazil, leaving weak Tess behind. Hardworking and thrift as Tess is, she still cannot get rid of poverty. At that time, Alec reappears in her life and keeps tells that Angel has deserted her. Again, he tries all his best to help Tess financially. Finally, he marries Tess. However, Angel returns repentantly and ready to reconcile with Tess. Tess murders Alec because he prevents her getting together with Angel. Undoubtedly, the miserable lady is arrested and hanged.

      In Hardy’s eyes, Tess is a “pure woman”. She is projected as a beautiful, intelligent, thoughtful, emotional and kind lady. Once she loves somebody, she devotes her body and soul. Angel fails to appreciate her .He cannot match with such a pure soul, let alone Alec, the rake. In the world full of dirty and ugly soul, the pure one is destined to be envied and destroyed. She tolerates all the unfairness: she bears from Alec’s seduction, Clare’s coldness and cruelty. Listen, how she tries to saves her love: In the name of our love, forgive me! Angel, that you loved me—me my very self! If it is Me you do love how can it be that you look and speak so? At last, she fights back. They resort to so-called legal, moral and religious standards to punish her. So such a wonderful lady ends in misery. She is the victim of the society. It is world that worships wealth and status.

      In a word, I think the cause of Tess’s tragic life is her weakness and injustice of the society. From her story, I realize our heart should be strong enough to protect ourselves. Women cannot expect to rely on men entirely. Fortunately, the world today is more harmonious.