Tess of the DUrbervilles (Penguin Classics)

Tess of the D'Urbervilles (Pocket Penguin Classics)

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Dec 17, Pages. But her life is about to veer from the path trod by her mother and grandmother. In his writing, he immortalized the site of his birth—Egdon Heath, in Dorset, near Dorchester, England. Delicate as a child, he was taught at home by his mother before he attended grammar school…. More about Thomas Hardy. The novel is not a mere plea for compassion for the eternal victim, though that is the banner it flies. It also involves a profound questioning of contemporary morality. Also by Thomas Hardy. Inspired by Your Browsing History.

Under the Feet of Jesus. The Woman Who Walked into Doors. Growing Up Ethnic in America. Jennifer Gillan and Maria Mazziotti Gillan. Glimpses of the Moon. The Cake Tree in the Ruins. Spy of the First Person. Novels LOA She falls in love with the decent Angel who lacks wits but is under the mistaken impression that he has them in spades. She marries Angel, only to be abandoned by him when he finds out about her past. She becomes Alec's mistress--Alec now, ala Roman Polanski, regrets the strawberry drugging and the rape--partly for economic reasons.

A girl's gotta eat. The other part of her reasons are addressed below. A repentant Angel flies back to her, a tad late to the dance as usual, only after she has just murdered Alec. The two of them end up at Stonehenge of all places, where she is apprehended after the police let her complete a nap. There are a lot of puzzling sleep episodes in this novel. Again, you must notice stuff like that if you are going to do big time literature. I think that we can safely conclude that Alec, the "bad guy," is sexually skillful in the sack.

He knows what he is doing with a woman and likes to do it a lot. The "good guy," Angel, fumbles in this area. I mean, the "good guy," Angel, chooses to sleep on the couch during his wedding night rather than have sex with one of the hottest young women in the country. Because he finds out that she has had sex before. This is the kind of thing that can complicate life for a girl, I understand.

And now, thanks to this novel, I do understand. I wanted to kick both of those guys' asses at one point or another, but of course I was feeling a little paternal about this poor hot looking sixteen-year-old girl. I refer to them as knotheads, but both do evolve and develop during the course of the novel in what we could simplistically call a favorable direction.

The problem—and it is this problem that gives us our story—is that neither of them evolves and develops quickly enough to remedy the horrendous impact their earlier conduct has had on poor Tess and save her. Angel finally comes to the realization that it does not make any difference if she has previously had sex with both the football team and the marching band.

She is nonetheless a quality human being whom that nitwit should feel undeservedly blessed to have as a wife. Tess is not passive. She is a girl of action and decision. She acts on those choices. We readers like Tess immensely. It is just that we as readers are continually frustrated with the choices she makes. She is not very old. So this is natural. However, part of the great entertainment afforded by this novel for the reader is contemplating what her alternative choices were and whether those might have resulted in any better an outcome for her.

After great thought, insofar as I do great thought, I have concluded that none of those other choices would have. My personal view is that she was doomed from the outset by the mere fact that she was one hot looking sixteen-year-old female human being in a society where that made for nothing but trouble. The tragedy is that in 21st Century America, this could have made her queen of the hop.

I might be wrong. You will have fun coming to your own conclusions. I had given a spoiler alert at the beginning, but the facts of the plot that I set out above are not really spoilers. It is not at all that unusual a 19th Century plot, other than the conclusion is more grim than usual and the sex is more prominently on display in that Alec and Tess actually do have a lot of sex, as in intercourse and all the accompanying accoutrements presumably.

At least Alec was no Bill Clinton. The great pleasure in reading this story is Hardy's manner of telling it even if you know what is going to happen. Anyone who knows anything about Hardy will know that Tess is not going to come to a good end anyway. That is the best I can do. I urge you not to miss out on this novel. And please do not respond by telling me that you saw the PBS production. Give me a break. This is a great novel , to be enjoyed as a novel.

View all 49 comments. Tess of the d'Urbervilles is not a feel-good book, which sharply sets it apart from the other 19th century novels about young women think Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre , for instance. No, it's sad and depressing to the point where it almost makes me angry. Because poor Tess, prone to making choice that are invariably the worst for her, just cannot catch a break. Because it's like she has majorly pissed off some higher power s that be and they are taking revenge, giving her the most rotten Tess of the d'Urbervilles is not a feel-good book, which sharply sets it apart from the other 19th century novels about young women think Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre , for instance.

Because it's like she has majorly pissed off some higher power s that be and they are taking revenge, giving her the most rotten luck. Because Tess seems to have resigned herself to a future with few silver linings, having learned to view herself through the cruel prism of social conventions. And yet I liked it. Maybe because I read it without anyone's coercion, without being forced to see the symbolism or make analyses of the themes and all that bullshit that high school students have to put up with during the endless hours of English classes.

Whatever her sins, they were not sins of intention, but of inadvertence, and why should she have been punished so persistently. Because quite a few things are wrong when a rapist offering to marry his victim is considered a good resolution to the 'situation' as he must be her 'real' husband because he was the first to claim her vagina with his penis, regardless of whether she wanted him then or wants him now. It is still perpetuated and fed to the young members of the society.

Think, for instance, of all the young adult heroines that are 'pure' by the virtue of their virginity while there always or almost always appears to be an evil side character - a 'slut' who dares to be sexually experienced. Guess who is invariably preferred by all the romantic interests? Hardy does a great job portraying unhealthy relationships in this book without attempting to convince the reader that those are actually normal.

I will not go into details about the unhealthiness of Tess' relationship with her rapist - that's self-evident. But her doomed relationship with Angel Clare is also painted as unhealthy and dangerous - and not alluringly dangerous, like many books are prone to depict such situations. Tess' feelings for him are blinding and obsessive - and the danger of those are clearly shown, as she is ready to lose herself in him and even die for his sake. Hardy's portrayal of that ill-fated relationship definitely does not glamorize the unhealthy aspects of it, and I applaud him for it.

I did enjoy reading a book about a 19th century young woman who does not belong to the privileged class, and whose ideas of poverty are not simply living in a smaller cottage and not being able to attend fancy balls. I liked the idea of a woman who is capable of work and does not shy away from it; I loved how much Hardy tried to emphasize that the stereotypes of peasants as faceless mass of idiots were not true, and how he stayed away from glamorizing money and pedigree.

Tess' supposed noble descent brings her nothing but pain, after all. She was not an existence, an experience, a passion, a structure of sensations, to anybody but herself. To all humankind besides, Tess was only a passing thought. For my pleasure reads I will stick with the happily-ever-after of Lizzy Bennet, thank you very much.

But meanwhile I'll be appreciating that Hardy had the perseverance to write a non-feel-good story of bad things happening to good people, with lessons we can learn from it even now. View all 45 comments.

Tess of the D’Urbervilles

Apr 08, karen rated it liked it Shelves: View all 92 comments. Mar 22, Bookdragon Sean rated it did not like it Shelves: How could you be so silly? How could you be so hapless and so helpless? Why do you seem to be an ill-fated walking disaster of doom trodden woe? Why, oh why, did you never learn anything? You were young and inexperienced in the beginning. But why were you still by the end? Your only act of courage was nothing but pure stupidity. It could only end one way after that.

The man forced fed you fruit; he made you part your lips whilst he shoved his all too suggestive strawberry in your mouth. How could you not see the nature of such an imposing act? Read over it Tess.

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See it from my point of view: How could you not see his motives? Your parents threw you into the world and let you bare their burdens of responsibility. I understand that was a large task. But, still, how can you not see that this man was sniffing round you and only after one thing? I cannot believe that someone could possibly be as stupid as you Tess. You just seemed a little bit too fatalistic. You just went from disaster to disaster without realising that most men of your time were pigs.

You just trudged through muck, and then went looking for more afterwards. I understand that the problems you faced were real. You came across real injustice, Tess. What Alec did to you was pure evil. What Angel did you was nothing short of neglect. One rule for men and another for women, eh Tess.

You really experienced misogyny and injustice. I know, and I feel sorry for you, but Tess you were just so unbelievably weak. Why did you go running back to Angel after what he did to you? He clearly didn't love you. Why did you wait for him for so long and just accept the negligence that he subjected you to. How could you let yourself down like that? You should have gone on your own and become your own woman; you should have become empowered rather than crawling back to the bastards that mistreated you.

Your actions made no sense. Your emotions and love changed with the wind. Rather than make you hopeless, he should have had you learn from the evils of the world, and become a woman who knew how to deal with it. Why did you run there of all places. Why not go to the train station? Why did you let yourself be led along by that prat Angel Clare one more time?

Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Ahh…Tess, why did you waste your life? Your most tragic mistake Tess, and your doom, was not realising what was inside you. Yours sincerely, A very dissatisfied reader. View all 37 comments. Aug 31, Cori rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: This book was fantastic. It was bleak and heartbreaking, but fantastic. I'm not sure I've ever been so sad for a main character before.

But wow, Hardy can write. Tess Durbeyfield, a poor girl, finds out she's actually the descendant of the once-mighty D'Urbervilles. She goes in search of work at her relatives' home, and meets Alec D'Urberville no actual relation -- he stole the name , From my blog: She goes in search of work at her relatives' home, and meets Alec D'Urberville no actual relation -- he stole the name , who seduces her and rapes her in the forest.

Tess leaves the D'Urberville estate to be with her family again, and winds up pregnant. The baby is born but quickly succumbs to death. Tess, who thinks her rape and death of her child are her own fault, moves away to work at a dairy. There, she meets Angel Clare a kind man from a good family and the two fall in love. Tess refuses his requests for an engagement, saying she's not worth him and her past would make him not love her. He pleads with her and tells her it's not the case. Finally, she agrees and the two are wed.

That night, they tell each other their deepest, darkest secrets. Angel admits to two drunken nights of debauchery, which Tess forgives him for, and Tess tells him the story about Alec and the child. Angel decides Tess's sins are too great and leaves to Brazil to clear his head.

Tess then embarks upon a long journey of trying to pay penance for her sins by doing difficult manual labor. Her letters to Angel go unanswered, but she still blames herself. When she finally hits rock bottom, she goes to appeal to Angel's family for money, although her pride never lets her go through with her plan. On her way home, she meets a street preacher, who is none other than a reformed Alec D'Urberville, although it's pretty apparent that his faith is transparent. Tess tells him that she had had a child and it died, and Alec proceeds to follow her around and asks her to marry him repeatedly, saying he's her true husband because he raped her they had consumated their love.

Finally, she gives in because she hasn't heard from Angel bastard and her family is in dire straits and is living in a graveyard. Alec supports her and her family. Angel finally realizes that Tess was not responsible for her sins and decides to come back for her, only to learn she's living with Alec.

Tess is so distraught knowing that Angel finally came back for her she never stopped loving him and blaming herself , that she kills Alec go Tess! Tess is finally apprehended at Stonehenge, and is soon put to death. That's one depressing story. As a woman who lives in , I had a hard time feeling for Tess when I just wanted to scream, "it's not your fault he raped you! Men at least in this book are bastards! You're worth more than them!

It was all her fault and she was paying for her sins. The book was so bleak when it was bleak, and so lovely the few times it was lovely. Hardy's writing was very evocative, and the subject matter was apparently scandalous in his day. His descriptions of England were amazing, too. I listened to the audio book, read by Davina Porter, and it was wonderful.

She's a phenomenal reader -- one of the best so far. Also, the mini-series starring Justine Waddell is uh-ma-zing, so if you don't feel like reading the book although I highly recommend it you can watch the movie instead. View all 12 comments. Sep 12, Maria rated it did not like it Shelves: I hated this passionately, which is perhaps unfair, as the book is really quite admirable for tackling the subject of double standards applied to male and female sexual behaviour. I have loathed this book for ten years and I will not stop. View all 28 comments.

This novel is really about timing, it effects us all, meet someone at the wrong time or go north instead of south, your life can end badly. Ordinary events, can change our destiny.

Tess Durbeyfield is born into a poor, rural, southern English family of eight, in the village of Marlott, Wessex. A lazy father, John, with a taste for the bottle, and a mother, Joan, who would rather sing the latest songs, than do the necessary chores, at home. But she grows up a very attracti This novel is really about timing, it effects us all, meet someone at the wrong time or go north instead of south, your life can end badly.

But she grows up a very attractive woman and everyone notices, especially young men. Informed by a minister, Parson Tringham, an antiquarian, that he, Mr. John Durbeyfield, real name is the ancient one of D'urbervilles, a honored wealthy family, of the past. They originated with a Norman knight, of that name, who came over with William the Conqueror, but now have lost all their lands and mansions, just another destitute family, in the late, Victorian age.

John proudly boasts about it, at the local watering hole, getting drunk and his wife Joan, has to fetch him, which she is delighted to do. The only fun she has, outside the cottage. Tess being the eldest child, helps out her mother with the work of taking care of her brothers and sisters. Her mother finds out, that there is a very rich family of D'urbervilles, not far away, and urges her daughter to make a friendly visit. Hesitating, but finally decides to obey and go.

Arriving, after a long walk, Tess discoverers that the relatives are not. Having changed their names from Stokes, for the prestige! But meeting Alec D'urbervilles, the only son of a blind widow, he calls her cousin, in a mocking way. A lecherous man of 23, Tess is only Offered a job taking care of the eccentric old lady's pet birds, she can't refuse, her family needs the money.

Alec is always chasing her, the innocent girl lasts four months there, Tess comes back home, no longer a girl. After a few unpleasant years passed in the village, and with her father ill, she gets a job as a milk maid to support the family, at a distant farm, besides, Tess hears whispers.

Becoming great friends with three other young women, Izz, Retty, and Marian, fellow workers there and roommates. All fall madly in love with a handsome , clergyman's son, Angel Clare. Who strangely wants to become a farmer not a minister in the Church of England, like his two older brothers.

Which greatly disappoints his orthodox father, and keeps him from receiving an university education. Learning at the dairy, but he has only eyes for the lovely Tess. Angel keeps on asking her to marry him. And the uneasy woman, has a secret she would not want to disclose. Clare, comes from a stable, middle class, family. Does Tess, tell him and risk losing the man she loves Thomas Hardy's most famous and best novel, I think, but not for the very faint-heart, when the pathos, flow.

View all 22 comments. Apr 06, Helle rated it really liked it Shelves: I finally read this classic for a book club recently, my own copy of the novel having languished on my shelves for too many years. I realized, after the book club meeting, that I had probably expected it to be a discussion-cum-appreciation session, Tess being after all a cornerstone in English literature.

Not a bit of it. Woman who suggested it: Well, as you know I love the classics, and I think this is a great book. Me sitting next to her: I really liked it, too, and w I finally read this classic for a book club recently, my own copy of the novel having languished on my shelves for too many years. I really liked it, too, and was glad to finally read it. It was a tale of woe, to be sure, but I liked it. A few more comments like that follow, it being the brief introductory round. I really needed a reason for picking up this book, or you know, I need to know why this is still read.

I mean why… Moderator: This is just the brief introductory round, so maybe we can come back to some of this? Everyone around the table is stunned into silence. Before beginning our discussion of Tess , we had briefly told the new guy our names and how long the group had existed four years. The feeling was one of welcome goodwill. I think I know what you mean, though. Yeah, Hardy seems to overdo it sometimes, and then at other times he spends 50 pages just wallowing in thoughts. Lots of stuff happens.

Communist vegan woman nodding: I mean, Tess is just so whiny and selfish. Listen, Thomas Hardy had a very modern view of women. In the eyes of the surrounding community they are.

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We hear news about stuff like that constantly: Also, it was written in , not in Oh, she hardly decides! And poverty is underneath all of it. I mean why does Tess view spoiler [kill Alec at the end? She could have just walked out. Right, that was totally out of the blue.

No reason for it. Why would she do that? I was expecting something else…yadayadayada. New guy looks up, surprised. This is what the book is like, and we have to discuss it on that premise. New guy and moderator taking turns: Yeah, but still, there were pages and pages where we were getting nowhere. Heated comments from the moderator and the new guy ensue. Some of the other group members never manage to get a comment in edgewise, and one girl ups and leaves.

Someone in a conciliatory manner: The next meeting may tell. View all 62 comments. It initially appeared in a censored and serialised version, published by the British illustrated newspaper The Graphic in and in book form in Though now considered a major nineteenth-century English novel and possibly Hardy's fictional masterpiece. Tess is the oldest child of John and Joan Durbeyfield, uneducated peasants. However, John is given the impr However, John is given the impression by Parson Tringham that he may have noble blood, as "Durbeyfield" is a corruption of "D'Urberville", the surname of an extinct noble Norman family.

Knowledge of this immediately goes to John's head. That same day, Tess participates in the village May Dance, where she meets Angel Clare, youngest son of Reverend James Clare, who is on a walking tour with his two brothers. He stops to join the dance and partners several other girls. Angel notices Tess too late to dance with her, as he is already late for a promised meeting with his brothers. Oct 07, Lizzy rated it liked it Shelves: This tale is certainly not Pride or Prejudice or even Jane Eyre where the heroines have the prospect or the hope of happiness.

But not even that was in store for our poor heroine. Tess sweet, loving nature is invariably abused by men, specifically the two central male characters of Alec D'Urberville and Angel Clare. The road that these two men lead her down becomes increasingly more terrible and depressing. But what makes it worst is that Tess herself felt she deserved her fate. Yes, I found the story compelling but too sad and disheartening, and if it were not for Thomas Hardy superb writing, I would find myself not enjoying it at all. Yes, it almost makes me feel angry with Hardy, for Tess seems to make decisions that regularly could not be the worst choice.

She seems never to catch a break. So, our heroine resigns herself to a bleak future at best, having learned to consider herself through the brutal prism of social convention. Never in her life — she could swear it from the bottom of her soul — had she ever intended to do wrong, yet these hard judgments had come. What insensibility the rigid morals that applied to women in Victorian England.

Hardy demonstrates it superbly, even if by doing it he made me weep. But that was the reality of the times. Morals and attitudes shaped women as inferior and subservient to men. Aren't there traces of those views even nowadays? In fact, there was no escape for Tess. And Hardy goes beyond, portraying majestically the peril unhealthy relationships hold. He does not need to idolize anything; all is there plain to see. She might have seen that what had bowed her head so profoundly - the thought of the world's concern at her situation - was founded on illusion.

May Hardy have gone too far? Tess carries her sufferings and guilt through her entire life, but I found myself wanting for a reprieve. Hardy hits you over and over again with Tess's misery that reading his story; I sometimes wanted to abandon her. Wuthering Heights is full of darkness, but at least the mystery, atmosphere and stronger than life characters appealed more to me. While for Tess there is only disillusionment, adversity and despair; and I found myself wanting a reprieve.

Hardy hits you over and over again with such misery that reading it sometimes I was urged to forget her. That did not happen when I was reading Wuthering Heights. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book. For my pleasure reads, I will stick with the happily-ever-after of Lizzy Bennet, or the brooding of Heathcliff that seems stronger than death. Oct 03, Duane rated it really liked it Shelves: This review contains spoilers.

Young Tess Durbyfield, one of the sweetest, most likable, yet tragic, characters in literature. She is sent out from her family home by her mother and father to the great family of the D'Ubervilles to claim her share of the family fortune. But her pure, innocent mind is no match for the roguish Alec D'Uberville, and their meeting sets Tess on a path that will eventually lead to her This review contains spoilers. But her pure, innocent mind is no match for the roguish Alec D'Uberville, and their meeting sets Tess on a path that will eventually lead to her downfall.

This is not considered Hardy's best novel by some critics, but it is my personal favorite. View all 4 comments. She plays a poor factory worker in rural America. She's going blind which is not great when you work around heavy machinery , but she needs to save up enough money to pay for an eye operation for her son. To escape her misery, she imagines elaborate musical sequences in her mind. She's also kind of an idiot. Now, what Lars is going for here could be called misogyny or satire or sociopathy, but in short: So many awful things happen to her, and they are so awful , but also But for any number of dumb reasons, she cannot.

She cannot even explain where the money went or for some reason, that she is almost blind because that will result in the cash being seized, and her son will never get his vague operation. Oh also she promised the guy she killed that she wouldn't tell about his stealing, and she won't, even though he is dead and he screwed her over pretty bad in the process.

Even when a friend figures everything out and brings in a lawyer to get her off, she refuses because of her son, resigned to her fate. So anyway, she is convicted, and sentenced to death, and has one last fantasy song sequence as she is walking to the gallows, and just when it reaches its operatic climax after some awful keening when they attempt to put the hood over her head , they pull the lever and her neck snaps.

That's the end of the movie. Everyone I know who has seen it has the same story: Though a really excellent movie in many ways, with a devastating lead performance, watching it is a brutal experience, simply because it is so relentlessly dogmatic in its bleakness, its melodrama, its dim view of humanity, and its commitment to punishing the leading lady.

I am pretty sure Lars von Trier read a lot of Thomas Hardy when he was growing up. He definitely read Tess of the d'Urbervilles. Facebook 30 Day Book Challenge Day 4: Book that makes you cry. If I'd only known how much I would enjoy this book, I wouldn't have let it sit on my shelf for 5 long years! I adore classics but it is hard for me to read a lot of them without feeling some indignation of the injustices dealt to women. Hardy presents us with Tess, a young woman who really doesn't have much control over her life.

She is forced to sacrifice herself time and again for her family, including her child-like parents. My heart really ached for her. Having to go through all s If I'd only known how much I would enjoy this book, I wouldn't have let it sit on my shelf for 5 long years! Having to go through all she went through and never having any sort of justice handed to her was heartbreaking. Therein lies the problem of that society; the double standards between women and men, the Victorian ideal of purity for women only.

Despite the tragedies in this story, I highly recommend this book. Hardy's prose is just wonderful. It turns out he was a naturalist and it shows by how well and uniquely he writes about the Wessex countryside where this novel is set. Additionally, his descriptions of people's feelings was wonderful. View all 18 comments. An eminent writer from the nineteenth century, his work is an evidence of the social recounts, which added a more humanitarian perspective to the cause and whose other advocates included the writers like George Eliot, Thackeray and Dickens.

Hardy was much aware of the sad state of farm workers, especially women during those times. The dilemma faced by women, who were the victims of seduction, appalled Hardy and he was aghast at lack of concern towards them. Sadly, the inspiration for this work had originated from an actual incidence of public hanging, which Hardy had himself witnessed, of a woman named Martha Brown who had killed her abusive husband when he had hit her over a quarrel.

It is believed that Hardy was captivated by the reminiscences of that hanging. It might be possible that the figure of the hanging woman through tight dress, that she wore, and her rain soaked hood inspired Hardy to frame a beautiful yet helpless character in Tess, someone who could be risen to unsurpassed heights by sacrificing herself to make amends for the morality imposed upon her and for her simple desires of life.

This review is not aimed at warning the first time readers of Tess, but still the foray would be suggested only if one is ready to plunge into the world of hers and is prepared to witness the cruelty of fate or some other force Immanent Will as suggested by Hardy. The reading might make one wonder how a little desire for happiness can become the source of such tragic events, but more so to question whether there is any significance of the longings of the meek creatures of flesh when faced with unforeseen forces hell bent at destroying the mere cocoon which envelops them. Yes, this is what Hardy aims at through his writings.

Been influenced by the Greek tragedies and also by the times he lived in, his work portrays the plight of human beings, who seem helpless when confronted with the ruthless morality of society or unpredictable forces. The reader, hence, must be ready here for testing times because it is definitely not an easy journey. You might be appalled at the never ending problems that Tess has to face while doing the best that she can supposedly do for her family and for her love.

According to Arnold Kettle: A pessimistic and deterministic view of the world in which man — and even more, woman — is at the mercy of an unyielding outside fate, is the conscious philosophy behind the novel. As a result, we get an account of the state of a woman, who in order to right the one wrong done by her as she thinks so, that of the unfortunate killing of family horse while she was driving the cart , sets out for noble deeds, little knowing that her simple desire to bring happiness into the family will result into such tragic events in her life, which she would only be able to atone by sacrificing herself.

Such a heart wrenching tale! As a reader you feel sad and enraged for the so called morality of those times which painted the women in an entirely alien manner. If it was Alec who initiated the series of misfortunes for Tess, it was Angel who further aggravated them by not being more humane and understanding. But she had to sacrifice her life, to prove it to Angel, the one she loved, that she was pure at heart, that she only wished her family to be happy and that all she did was to make sure that they could live easily. Hardy used the concept of Pharmakos or the sacrifice goat at the end, to portray the surrender of humans before the Immanent will for salvation, when he depicted Tess resting at Stonehenge and being greeted by morning rays.

Tess is pure and innocent in the sense that what ensues with her is far greater than any of her deeds can incite. View all 42 comments. Oct 26, Jason Koivu rated it really liked it Shelves: Stand up for yourself! Is there anything more infuriating than seeing dudes get away with being two-faced assholes towards women and the women accepting it as a matter of course? Certainly Thomas Hardy was writing of a time and place that not only condoned the privilege of condescending white male superiority, it perpetuated it by both sexes accepting it as the standard of the day.

More like double standard of the day. What's good for the gander is NOT okay for the goose to even consider! Thank god, or whoever, I wasn't born a woman. I'd have been burned at the stake, stoned to death, etc. But hey, aside from that kerfuffle, Tess of the D'Urbervilles is a damn fine novel! Has inner turmoil ever been so well described? Definitely not so detailed. Hardy has a hundred and one different ways to tell you about a character's personal conflict, and so he does. Yes, that can be wearying. It can also be quite satisfying. Just sit back and let the words wash over you.

It's all quite impressive. After a few hundred pages, however, a tiny bit of tedium might set in. Enough description is enough!

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I tried to put myself in the character's place and I've read up enough on Victorian values to understand the constraints, but still I don't know what it is This deserves the five-star-because-it's-a-classic treatment, but I dropped it to four mainly for a lack of enjoyment on my part from start to finish. The book devolves into a literary scat film. I mean, has anyone been dumped on more than Tess? It got tiring after awhile.

I get it, she's put-upon. The martyrdom dragged on and on, so that with a hundred or so pages to go I was already finished with this. Still and all, it's a damn fine book! I'll be going back to Hardy again in the future. Probably the distant future though. View all 5 comments. Jan 07, Apatt rated it it was amazing Shelves: A Thomas Hardy novel, say.

Why read it then? The initial plot trajectory from the moment Tess meets the obvious degenerate and proud of it Alec d'Urberville with his fancy sports car dog-cart and strawberries is predictable. As luck or misfortune would have it she meets Angel Clare a nice young man who relentlessly courted her and she falls in love with to devastating effect. The characterization of the main protagonists is quite complex. The only truly indomitable thing about her seems to be her beauty.

She makes a one poor decision after another and the goodness of her heart is eventually her undoing as misadventures are heaped upon her by the author shakes fist at Hardy. As for Angel Clare, the romantic lead of this tale of woe, although he evidently a good man he is in some ways worse than Alec d'Urberville.

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