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Character Review - Tess of the d'Urbervilles

            A "good woman" is to be pure and innocent of any sexual encounters. Purity is best understood in terms of it's opposite meanings; dirty, filthy, guilty. Tess was a woman who was once "pure" but her life has now been destroyed and dissipated because of sexual misdeeds. She suffered from a violation that she did not want to take part of and that was not of her own action and has to live her life as an impure woman. Tess has had to take responsibilities of other people's actions and those actions lead to her downfall in society. Hardy uses Tess's submissiveness to her parents and Alec d'Urberville to show the effects of what impurity can do to a woman's future relationship like that of Angel and Tess d'Urberville. .
             Tess d'Urberville's first oppressors, Joan and John d'Uberville had set up her path to impurity. Once John had found out he had royal ties to a wealthy family he and Joan decided to send Tess at once so they can gain a greater family title. The parents did not want what was best for Tess, but what was best for them. Since Tess had killed their horse Prince she felt obliged to do what they had requested and work for the other d'Urberville family. When she arrived at the estate she met a man named Alec d'Urberville who immediately referred to her as a cousin and had acted very strange around her as if he was flirting with her. Tess with all her innocence had not liked this at all and asked her parents to not go back to the d'Urberville house. "It is for you to decide. I killed the horse, and I suppose I ought to do something to get ye a new one, But-but- I don't quite like Mr. d'Urberville being there!" (81). The whole family had mocked her and called her a fool for not wanting to return. Tess decided to claim kin only to earn enough money to purchase a new horse in order to please her family."And to please her parent the girl put herself quite in Joan's hands.


Essays Related to Character Review - Tess of the d'Urbervilles

1. Victorian Society in Tess of the d'Urbervilles

Tess epitomizes the case that the innocent pay for the guilty. ... Tess pays in many ways throughout the novel and often Tess misfortune is related to male superiority within the society. ... Indeed, a critical review by the Speaker in 1891 drew ideas of Fate and an unjust society from the novel, arguing that it was a grievous fall, misfortunes and society that would have made her an outcast. ... Tess realizes that, "there should be no more d'Urberville air-castles in the dreams and deeds of her new life." this is because she realizes that by carrying this name not only does she attract ...

  • Word Count: 1652
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

2. Tess

In Tess of the D"urbervilles Alec's character is considered immoral and evil. His presentation through out the film allows the viewer to like and dislike his character. From the beginning to the end there occurs a change in his character which in the end one feels more sympathetic. ... For example, when Tess leaves the D"urberville house, Alec informs Tess that he is willing to help her financially. ... He feels a deep emotion for Tess one way or another. ...

  • Word Count: 277
  • Approx Pages: 1
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Tess of the D'urbervilles

Tess of the D'Urbervilles... ... Similarly, Tess of the D"Urbervilles attempts to evoke sympathy for the struggles of an oppressed woman. ... The character is too selfish and unrespectable to be pitied. ... However, in Tess of D"Urbervilles, written by Thomas Hardy, the main character Tess, is a woman of true character. ... Thomas Hardy tells the story in such a way that it becomes next to impossible to dislike Tess, which cannot be said of many other classical characters. ...

  • Word Count: 738
  • Approx Pages: 3

4. Tess

In the novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy, tragedy is undoubtedly present in the protagonist, Tess Durbeyfield's life. ... Angel Clare's refusing to accept Tess' unfortunate past is the beginning of an intensely tragic portion of Tess' life. ... Angel's character may change towards the end, but not before he adds on to Tess' tragic life again by returning. Alec d'Urberville adds the most to Tess' tragic life. ... Tess' parents, Angel Clare, and Alec d'Urberville play an important part in Tess' tragedy. ...

  • Word Count: 877
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Tess of the Urberville

Neither So Good Nor So Bad Though the central action of Tomas Hardy's novel "Tess of the d"Urbervilles" centres on Tess, the other characters are not lacking in interest and idivuduality. ... Both characters are described with artistic detail to show a blend of weakness and strength governed by fate. ... Hardy reveals Angel as an interesting and complex character, full contradictions and confusions. ... The interconnection between the two characters is also present in their relationship with Tess. ... In relation to both, Tess is in each case a victim...

  • Word Count: 795
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Tess of the D

The characters in "Tess of the D"Ubervilles", especially Tess, are well-rounded three-dimensional characters (although towards the end of this novel Hardy appears to have grown sick of all the other characters but Tess). ... For instance when Angel leaves her, she still thinks of him as her husband and she refuses to say a bad word against him or let others bring his character into disrepute despite all the hardship that he puts her through. ... The reader is compellingly drawn to Tess" nature and unwittingly finds himself or herself immersed in her character. ... It's beautiful descrip...

  • Word Count: 1053
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Tess

Exploits contrast of place and character- place she lives with Alec compared with dairy and Stonehenge is contrasted with all other places. ... Tess contrasted with other women (dairy maids) most other characters are just expanded stereotypes (Alec - villain etc) Character and place are also paralleled with each other. ... Characters are not three-dimensional but rather they are symbolic. ... This is because each phase marks the beginning of a different facet in Tess's life and hence her view of herself and her destiny alters. - Final chapter as evidence of Hardy's complete control o...

  • Word Count: 1263
  • Approx Pages: 5

8. Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Here, through use of his unique style, Hardy explores the idea of the status and place of women in society and elaborates on the characters of Tess and Angel by dissecting their relationship. ... Here, Hardy offers the reader hints of what is in store for the characters through the use of symbols and unique situations to allude to future events. ... In Tess of the D'Urbervilles, every event and character is colored in the reader's imagination by the pessimistic tone of the work. ... In Tess of the D'Urbervilles, the description of the relationship between Tess Durbyfield and ...

  • Word Count: 2133
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

9. 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles'

After much turmoil and tribulation, sorrow and pain, and sweat and tears, the final fates of the characters in Thomas Hardy's classic novel Tess of the d"Urbervilles were dealt their final fate. ... The heroine of the novel, Tess d"Urberville, is the only character whose end is not justified. ... This is why Tess" character was not justified in the end. ... The entire novel was one big struggle for every character in it. ... With the exception of the protagonist, Tess, every character had an ending which justified their being. ...

  • Word Count: 907
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

10. Tess of the D'Urbervilles

To an extent, this makes the characters in Tess seem one-dimensional. ... For the reader, Hardy created predictable characters to produce suspense of not being able to guess how they will turn out by the end. ... Initially, Alec is clearly Tess's antagonist. ... Angel's true self now gives the reader a character to contrast with Alec. ... His guilt drives him to aid Tess's family; something he recognizes is important to Tess, but his money does not aid Tess's heart. ...

  • Word Count: 1633
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Grade Level: High School

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