About the author:
Thomas Hardy (1840—1928), is an English novelist who is famous for novels of character and environment. When he was young, he derived a love of music from his father and devotion to literature from his mother. He grew up in Dorset shire, of which the environment there became the main backdrop of his writings. His writing often reflected the change after capitalism intruded the countries in England and the people’s hard life. The novel《Tess of the D’Urbervilles》was published in the year of 11,which was his most famous novel.
The brief introduction of content:
It tells a story about a tragedy of a pure girl. One day, a rural clergyman told D’Urbervilles, who is a pour farmer, that he was descended from the illustrious D’Urbervilles family. And then, the D’Urbervilles couples wanted their daughter Tess to work in a family named D’Urbervilles in order to improve their social status. So Tess obeyed her parents’ requires, and went to the rich D’Urbervilles’ family. She was asked to feed the chicken there. In the rich D’Urbervilles family, there is a man named Alec. Alec thought Tess was so beautiful. He was attracted by her beautiful appearance. Horrible thing to Tess was happened one day. Alec raped her. After she left him, Tess was pregnant. She went back home, and gave birth to the baby. Unluckily, the baby died soon. Tess was so sad. She didn’t want to stay at home, so she decided to work. In another village, she worked as a milkmaid in a farm. There she met a good man named Angel Clare, who was her true love. Later, they fell in love. Angel Clare didn’t know her past until their wedding night. At that night, Angel abandoned her, although he had committed a crime to a woman. Deserted by her husband, she suffered from painful life. And she met Alec again, and the poverty forced her to resume their relationship. Tess became Alec’s mistress again. And, Angel went to Brazil, finding that he was wrong to Tess. When he came back to look for Tess, she was Alec’s mistress. But when she saw Angel, she waked up and hatred filled her heart. Then she killed Alec, and run away with Angel. They spent one night of happiness together, before she was arrested. In the end, Angel promised Tess to live with her sister.
My thought towards this book:
After reading this book, I feel so sad because of its unhappy ending. How beautiful Tess was! Why a beautiful girl can’t get a good result. Is it her beautiful appearance’s wrong? Is her parents’ wrong? Of course, it’s not her fault. It’s the society, the desire, and the discrimination to women.
After raped her, Alec became a clergymen, but Tess’s life became horrible. She was looked down by others, and she can’t live like a normal girl. Everyone thought she wasn’t pure, and was dirty. But she had no choice. That wasn’t what she wanted. She was a sufferer, not a criminal.
Why didn’t Angel forgive her? He had done a bad thing with other woman too. Tess loved him so deeply, but he didn’t value her. If he can forgive her at the beginning, maybe Tess won’t die, and they can live in a happy tune.
I think, these caused by the society. If the society didn’t discriminate the women, others won’t think Tess wasn’t pure. And, of course, Angel won’t abandon her.
Maybe, nowadays, more and more people think women are equal to men, but as women, we still need to be strong, and maintain our own interests.
