A
Summary and Analysis of Contemporary Reviews Regarding Thomas Hardy’s Novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles
Summary:
Many of the
contemporary criticisms touched on overlapping issues within Thomas Hardy’s
novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles, such
as: an uncontrollable fate, morality, purity, representation of woman, and
other observations as well. However, one contemporary review in particular
really brought up an interesting argument. In the contemporary review from The Illustrated London News, the author
first claims that Tess of the D’Urbervilles is by far Hardy’s best work he had produced
up until that point. The article then defends against criticism saying that, “
The conventional reader wishes to be excited, but not to be disturbed” and that
the conventional reader, “… detests an open challenge of that traditional
pattern…” (383). Hardy challenges the usual reader and the article says he
should be praised for that. In addition to challenging readers, the article
also says that he portrays the kind of ‘womanly nature’ that often leads to
downfall. “It is the unsuspicious and fundamentally pure-minded girl in whom
lie the noblest possibilities of womanhood, who is the easiest victim and who
has to fight the hardest fight” (383). It compares Hardy’s novel the story
of Diana of the Crossways. In the
final section of the review the author also comments on Hardy’s inclusion of
not only dark settings, but also of the ‘wholesome’ country life and how these
inclusions connect the reader to the characters experience. Finally the article
sums up Hardy’s novel by saying, “[The books] essence lies in the perception
that a woman’s moral worth is measurable not by any one deed, but by the whole
aim and tendency of her life and nature” (383).
Analysis:
After discussing the
book in class, I felt like the Naturalist lens really helped me understand the
novel better. I feel like Tess was a victim of fate and that is why I connected
to this review the most. Looking further into Naturalism, a somewhat broad
equation says that heredity plus environment plus chance equals determinism. I
think the article makes it clear that Tess’s fate of being a woman and a pure
woman at that almost destines her to a downfall. Naturalism can envelop a sort
of brutal reality, and I think Tess is a victim of this. Also I really like
that article called forth this idea of social convention that forces women like
Tess to be caught up in a snag that society will never let her come back from. Hardy’s
comments on Victorian society aren’t necessarily as evident as some of the
other authors we have read but I think his points are just as important.
You are so right, the focus of naturalism really brings to light the Tess character. Until we really talked about the emphasis Hardy was putting on the idea of naturalism I didn't see the novel in the context that I do now. It just goes to show how important it can be to know or have at least an idea of what agenda the author has. We have dealt with that issue on so many occasions in this class and sometimes it often times has not been as easy or straightforward as it has been with Hardy. It is no secret that he is intending to focus on naturalism and the idea of purity in a women. Being able to look at it through the lens for which it was intended puts a whole new/different perspective on the novel.
ReplyDeleteKatie,
ReplyDeleteI really like that you brought into your blog the social convention surrounding women like Tess. In their day, society obviously frowned on what was seen as "coquettish" behavior, and they wished/expected for such characters to receive what would be a just "punishment". Take Hannah Webster Foster's Eliza Wharton in "The Coquette" for example, or Henry James' title character in "Daisy Miller"--all three of these women behaved in what was then seen as an overly sexual way in society, and therefore readers expected them to be punished, and the only satisfactory punishment would be the death of the characters, which all three unfortunately are dealt. This is a major theme we see in "seduction" novels, and although Hardy's novel isn't necessarily considered as one, Tess suffers the same fate.
I agree with you guys that Tess was sort of destined to suffer the fate of death, and she is kind of set up as the "fallen woman" in that society, but I'm wondering how much Hardy really wanted us to see Tess as fitting into that fallen woman trope. To me, it seemed like he was using that whole trope to emphasize the fact that Tess was doing nothing wrong (and in fact, doing many things right) and she still could not escape her fate. I guess in my interpretation of the novel, I thought Hardy wanted us to understand that no matter what Tess' character was like as a woman, she was still doomed. That could be totally off though!
ReplyDeleteI think reading through the lens of naturalism is really beneficial as well. To add some sort of theory to the reading is also helpful. I think if you are excited about the environment's influence over Tess then perhaps looking into ecofeminism would also provide a new way of seeing her character and Hardy's intentions. Tess does seem to get caught up in a society poised against her and Hardy does a nice job stressing this novel's relevence to the conversation of the era.
ReplyDelete