Tess of the DUrbervilles essays

Tess of the DUrbervilles essays Thomas Hardys Tess of the DUrbervilles portrays the struggles of Tess Durbeyfield with the fateful incidents and misfortunes that mark the course of a tragic life. Tess, a beautiful peasant, struggles with many hardships throughout her life. She struggles with social class, the men in her life, Alec DUrberville and Angel Claire, and the notion of being a pure woman. Fate plays an important role in creating almost inescapable circumstances in Tess Durbeyfields life. For the first 16 years of her life, Tess and her family live in a middle class state of affairs in the town of Marlott. Her father John Durbeyfield is not in good health. He has little interest in working, and spends most of his time drinking. Upon returning to his home one evening, Durbeyfield meets a man named Parson Tringham who informs him that the Durbeyfield family is the lineal representative of the ancient and knightly family of the DUrbervilles, who... came from Normandy with William the Conqueror. This news suddenly changes Durbeyfields view on his familys lifestyle and he immediately decides that his family should be living as his knightly and noble ancestors once did. The family sends their eldest daughter, Tess, to see if the Durberville family would assist them financially. They also have additional hopes of Tess marrying a gentleman and restoring their family status. This single decision of insisting she leave her sheltered life in the town of Marlott, the only existence she has ever known, will be the change in her life that will begin a series of events that eventually lead to tragedy. Alec (Stock) DUrberville meets Tess. Her parents fantasize of Tess coming home with a commitment of marriage from Alec, the man they assume to be a gentleman, and instead he rapes her of her dignity. Alec seduces Tess in the forest of Chase, He knelt and bent lower, till her br...