This is the weekly discussion of students enrolled in ENG 4327, Studies in British Literature II, at Texas Weselyan University.
Fall 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Angel and Alec: Angel and Devil?
Let's focus for a moment on the men in Tess's life. How should the reader regard Angel Clare and Alec d'Urberville? How similar are they? How different? How does each view, and care about, Tess?
Angel Clare and Alec d’Urberville are typical men from the Victorian era. They seem to be very similar in their views on women. The only difference between the two is the goals they seek. Angel would seek below his social strata to find a woman, only for the sake of his benefit: success in business. Alec would seek anywhere for the sake of his own personal satisfaction: sexual pleasure. They are both hypocrites in their interpretation of morals and values. For example, much later after he rapes Tess, she finds Alec a converted man, preaching among cities about repentance and forgiveness, yet quickly loosens his grip on Christianity when it becomes an obstruction to his desires. Angel too seems to defy the very morals and values he encompasses, which he believes to be superior to those in Christianity. He believes Christianity seems to be too ethnocentric and its “restrictions” to be oppressive. Yet, he himself reverts to these oppressive “restrictions,” that he so much abhorred, in his views after Tess confesses her trials and tribulations. Both of these men interest in Tess began for the same reason – the beauty she has inherited from her mother. If it wasn’t for that, neither would have ever considered her. Alec seeks her only for his pleasures to do with her as he pleases with no remorse for the consequences she would have to endure. Angel seeks her because she would be “good for him” in his business endeavors. Basically they both view Tess as an asset to their needs. I believe they care about her only to the point that they can: from the social strata they see themselves to be from- “above.”
I think the difference between Angel and Alec is that Angel is very idealistic and innocent in a way. He is not very worldly. He isn’t a bad person, but he’s not quite sure of who he is or what he wants out of life. He seems younger than Alec. Alec seems cynical and very worldly. Alec also seems to be very sure of who he is – he admits to being “a bad fellow.” They are both similar in that they are both attractive “gentlemen,” although Alec is wealthier. They both probably should be marrying within their own class, although in the beginning of the book, I got the impression that Alec thought of Tess as just someone he could play with and get away with it, whereas he couldn’t do this with someone of his own class. Angel’s parents are obviously disappointed that he married a dairymaid – not just because they already had chosen someone for him, but also because Tess is of a lower class. I really do think that Alec is attracted to Tess because she doesn’t care for him and he knows it. I got the impression that Tess is a big challenge to him. I also felt that he’d had affairs with other lower class women and they made no big impression on him because they were too dazzled by him. But because Tess is beautiful and indifferent to him, that makes him stalk her. He knows he can’t have her because she wants to be with him, so he manipulates her into going back to him. I don’t think Tess would have gone if it were just for herself, even though she had to work so hard. But I think she went back to him out of concern for the welfare of her family. Angel, on the other hand, loves Tess because he has an unrealistic image of her in his mind. She started to tell him over and over that there was something about her that he should know, but he insists all along that it doesn’t matter. When he finally finds out about her, it shatters his fantasy about her. It’s true that Tess also had an unrealistic view of Angel, but I don’t believe that anything could have changed her feelings for him.
I personally think that both Alec and Angel are egotistical, sexist, close-minded men who are driven by lust but confuse it with "love". Perhaps they are typical men of their time, but I think they both treat Tess disrespectfully and they toss her around like she is just a mere bump in their path. Alec was obviously after only one thing, and he got it, although forcefully. Later he turns into some crazy stalker and can't resist Tess' charm, although I think he just wants to take advantage of her all over again because he knows he can. Angel, on the other hand, rejects Tess after her confession. He knows that she wasn't to blame, but he acts like a child that has had his candy taken away from him, so he turns away from Tess. I think he was so full of himself that he felt that he owned everything Tess could offer him. Like any lustful man, Angel was bitter about the main prize--Tess' virginity--being taken away.
I do believe that both men loved Tess in their own right, but they were mostly focused on her goods. Alec took away her virginity, but at least he still wanted to marry her after she had already been used. Of course, he doesn't ask for her hand in marriage until the whole baby bit is brought up, but the fact that he claims to want to make things right makes it a bit easier to get a tiny inkling of sympathy for him. Although his pushy ways just remind us that he is crazy and dangerous...
Angel is a baby and is hurt by anything that doesn't go the way he wants it to. The only good thing about him is that he wasn't as forceful and he knew the art of romance.
I completely forgot about the whole business prospect of Angel's interest in Tess. That's a good point you brought up. I also like your whole discussion of hypocrisy.
Reply to Zampak: You are right about Alec's "conversion" to Christianity. I think if Alec had never seen Tess again, he may have continued with his preaching, or perhaps his Christianity would have lasted only until he found another victim. I also think part of the reason that Alec quit the religion is because Tess told him what she believed and that her beliefs were influenced by Angel. Alec thinks it would be easier to win Tess over if he felt the same way. If Alec was a good Christian, he would have tried to show how Angel's beliefs were wrong. But it's true what you say, for Alec, Christianity was too restrictive for what he wants, and when it got in his way, then his religion went by the wayside in a hurry.
Claudia, The stalker thing is really creepy! Further adding to the thought that Alec was evil. But you are right, each one of them just focused on Tess' "goods" for their own benefit.
Angel Clare and Alec d’Urberville are typical men from the Victorian era. They seem to be very similar in their views on women. The only difference between the two is the goals they seek. Angel would seek below his social strata to find a woman, only for the sake of his benefit: success in business. Alec would seek anywhere for the sake of his own personal satisfaction: sexual pleasure. They are both hypocrites in their interpretation of morals and values. For example, much later after he rapes Tess, she finds Alec a converted man, preaching among cities about repentance and forgiveness, yet quickly loosens his grip on Christianity when it becomes an obstruction to his desires. Angel too seems to defy the very morals and values he encompasses, which he believes to be superior to those in Christianity. He believes Christianity seems to be too ethnocentric and its “restrictions” to be oppressive. Yet, he himself reverts to these oppressive “restrictions,” that he so much abhorred, in his views after Tess confesses her trials and tribulations. Both of these men interest in Tess began for the same reason – the beauty she has inherited from her mother. If it wasn’t for that, neither would have ever considered her. Alec seeks her only for his pleasures to do with her as he pleases with no remorse for the consequences she would have to endure. Angel seeks her because she would be “good for him” in his business endeavors. Basically they both view Tess as an asset to their needs. I believe they care about her only to the point that they can: from the social strata they see themselves to be from- “above.”
ReplyDeleteI think the difference between Angel and Alec is that Angel is very idealistic and innocent in a way. He is not very worldly. He isn’t a bad person, but he’s not quite sure of who he is or what he wants out of life. He seems younger than Alec. Alec seems cynical and very worldly. Alec also seems to be very sure of who he is – he admits to being “a bad fellow.” They are both similar in that they are both attractive “gentlemen,” although Alec is wealthier. They both probably should be marrying within their own class, although in the beginning of the book, I got the impression that Alec thought of Tess as just someone he could play with and get away with it, whereas he couldn’t do this with someone of his own class. Angel’s parents are obviously disappointed that he married a dairymaid – not just because they already had chosen someone for him, but also because Tess is of a lower class.
ReplyDeleteI really do think that Alec is attracted to Tess because she doesn’t care for him and he knows it. I got the impression that Tess is a big challenge to him. I also felt that he’d had affairs with other lower class women and they made no big impression on him because they were too dazzled by him. But because Tess is beautiful and indifferent to him, that makes him stalk her. He knows he can’t have her because she wants to be with him, so he manipulates her into going back to him. I don’t think Tess would have gone if it were just for herself, even though she had to work so hard. But I think she went back to him out of concern for the welfare of her family.
Angel, on the other hand, loves Tess because he has an unrealistic image of her in his mind. She started to tell him over and over that there was something about her that he should know, but he insists all along that it doesn’t matter. When he finally finds out about her, it shatters his fantasy about her. It’s true that Tess also had an unrealistic view of Angel, but I don’t believe that anything could have changed her feelings for him.
I personally think that both Alec and Angel are egotistical, sexist, close-minded men who are driven by lust but confuse it with "love". Perhaps they are typical men of their time, but I think they both treat Tess disrespectfully and they toss her around like she is just a mere bump in their path. Alec was obviously after only one thing, and he got it, although forcefully. Later he turns into some crazy stalker and can't resist Tess' charm, although I think he just wants to take advantage of her all over again because he knows he can. Angel, on the other hand, rejects Tess after her confession. He knows that she wasn't to blame, but he acts like a child that has had his candy taken away from him, so he turns away from Tess. I think he was so full of himself that he felt that he owned everything Tess could offer him. Like any lustful man, Angel was bitter about the main prize--Tess' virginity--being taken away.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that both men loved Tess in their own right, but they were mostly focused on her goods. Alec took away her virginity, but at least he still wanted to marry her after she had already been used. Of course, he doesn't ask for her hand in marriage until the whole baby bit is brought up, but the fact that he claims to want to make things right makes it a bit easier to get a tiny inkling of sympathy for him. Although his pushy ways just remind us that he is crazy and dangerous...
Angel is a baby and is hurt by anything that doesn't go the way he wants it to. The only good thing about him is that he wasn't as forceful and he knew the art of romance.
zampak,
ReplyDeleteI completely forgot about the whole business prospect of Angel's interest in Tess. That's a good point you brought up. I also like your whole discussion of hypocrisy.
Reply to Zampak:
ReplyDeleteYou are right about Alec's "conversion" to Christianity. I think if Alec had never seen Tess again, he may have continued with his preaching, or perhaps his Christianity would have lasted only until he found another victim. I also think part of the reason that Alec quit the religion is because Tess told him what she believed and that her beliefs were influenced by Angel. Alec thinks it would be easier to win Tess over if he felt the same way. If Alec was a good Christian, he would have tried to show how Angel's beliefs were wrong.
But it's true what you say, for Alec, Christianity was too restrictive for what he wants, and when it got in his way, then his religion went by the wayside in a hurry.
Claudia,
ReplyDeleteThe stalker thing is really creepy! Further adding to the thought that Alec was evil. But you are right, each one of them just focused on Tess' "goods" for their own benefit.