Friday, November 6, 2009
Tess as Nature Goddess
List as many references as you can from the novel so far where Tess is described as a part of nature in some way. Why do you think Hardy is setting her against this background? Does it make her situation more or less tragic--or more at odds with Victorian mores and religious morality?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
“Every contour of the surrounding hills was a personal to her as that of her relatives’ faces”
ReplyDelete“There was never before such a beautiful thing in Nature or Art as you look, ‘Cousin’ Tess.”
“Darkness and silence ruled everywhere around. Above them rose the primeval yews and oaks of The Chase, in which were poised gentle roosting birds in their last nap; and about them stole the hopping rabbits and hares.”
"It was a fine September evening, jus before sunset, when yellow lights struggle with blue shades in hair-like lines and the atmosphere itself forms a prospect without aid from more solid objects, except the innumerable wined insects that dance in it. Through this low-lit mistiness Tess walked leisurely along."
"and surrounding nature forming an organism of which all the parts harmoniously and joyously interpenetrated each other. They were as sublime as the moon and stars above them, and the moon and stars were as ardent as they."
There are more, like when Alec adorns her with flowers from her head to her little basket.
I think Hardy is setting her against this background because he is trying to appeal to the “naturalistic” philosophy, to which Christianity has no “control” over. I think it really makes her situation a lot more tragic because Tess has nowhere to turn to for consolation (yet) and is being “let down” by everything that she has been brought up to believe in (faith, religious values and morals, etc.)
In the beginning of the book Tess is part of nature where she is shown taking part in a Mayday celebration, which is a pagan tradition. Then later when she meets her “cousin” Alec, he takes her to where they grow strawberries and he covers her with flowers. We talked about this much in class. When she goes to work up at the D’Urberville’s estate, she gets the job of taking care of lots of different kinds of chickens – which are pets for the old blind Mrs. D’Urberville. She also has the job of teaching the bullfinches to sing by whistling to them. She is working with animals and in doing so is part of nature.
ReplyDeleteLater, after she has the baby, she goes to work harvesting. Later still, she goes to work at a dairy as a milkmaid. She always seems to be outside, and working with animals.
I think that maybe she is described this way because her life is outside of the upper class sort of lifestyle for women. She is not a “lady” like Rachel Verinder, for example. In the Moonstone, Rachel really had nothing to do – she and Franklin Black amused themselves by painting the door to her sitting room. Tess, by contrast, has to work for a living. But, even so, she’s different from Rachael and Stephen in Hard Times. They have to work for a living, but they work in a factory and live in a city. Their lives are governed by the factory whistle. By contrast, Tess’s schedule is governed by the natural order, like the seasons, etc., so her life is in sync with the natural world – with chickens and cows, planting and reaping time, etc. It’s possible that Hardy created this character to show that because she is part of nature, she is also outside of the Victorian ideals of the time. Which is not to say that she is immoral or amoral. But I think that Alec D’Urberville perceives that because she is a “country” girl, that he can get away with taking advantage of her, where he would not dream of doing this with a girl of his own class, for example. He may think that no one will make a complaint about him, and he doesn’t have to be concerned about his reputation. Unlike a woman from a higher social class, in Alec’s mind, Tess doesn’t matter and because of this, I think her situation is more tragic this way.
Tess’ emotions are often reflected in her natural surroundings. For example, in chapter 3 after their only horse dies in an accident, “the atmosphere turned pale, the birds shook themselves in the hedges, arose, and twittered; the lane showed all its white features, and Tess showed hers, still whiter.” Also noticeable is the fact that Tess is rarely inside. She is always outside either playing or working. Nature is not limited to the sky and trees, however. Tess also deals a lot with animals—in the beginning she uses a horse for transportation (not unusual, but it’s important because the death of the horse starts a new chain of events in Tess’ life); later she tends chickens for Mrs. D’Urberville and still later she becomes a dairy maid and works with cows. It is only “natural” that Tess would first meet Angel Clare at the May Day dance (yet another situation revolving around nature) and then reunite with him, and get to know him, as a dairy maid—both times being outside.
ReplyDeleteI think Hardy sets Tess against this background because nature is uncontrollable by mankind and Tess cannot control the circumstances in her life. Tess resists certain elements in her life (Alec's abuse of her, Angel's love for her, etc) but she has no power over them, so she must deal with the consequences. I think Tess is also a representative of nature in such a way that, like a flower, her destiny was determined from the beginning—she was born innocent and naive (seedling), she sprouts (gains knowledge about the "nature" of cruel men or elements), she blossoms (falls in love with Angel), and she will either wither and die (“wither” could mean being looked down upon by everyone, growing old, or becoming depressed) or be "picked" before she dies of natural causes (killed or accidental death). Her life hasn't been the best so far so I can't help but take the pessimistic view, especially when Tess seems so helpless and weak as far as taking control of her life goes. So long as Tess is in a more natural environment, however, she is free from Victorian mores as well as judgment through religious views. If she ever ends up in the city, she will have to suffer harsher judgment and I don’t think Tess would survive in that kind of environment. In the natural surroundings that Tess is currently in, she is forgiven for breaking one moral code (the first one that involved her having a baby—but it was not a “sin of her own seeking”). However, I think that if she continues to let negative things happen, especially those she might have some power over, eventually she is going to come under harsh judgment even in her freer, natural surroundings. The “country folk” have morals, too.
Allison,
ReplyDeleteI like how you brought up characters from other stories. I never thought to compare Tess' situation with that of Rachel and Stephen's from "Hard Times". Using a little bit of copy pasta here: "By contrast, Tess’s schedule is governed by the natural order, like the seasons, etc." I agree! I think Tess just goes with the flow of life, and like the seasons change, so do her circumstances.
We talked about many things related to nature in class: The abundance of strawberries, the many flowers in her dress, the Mayday dance, ,taking care of chickens, amnd being a milkmaid are only some. Also, some more subtle references to nature are the household full of children, the description of her feminine, figure, her naturally inherited beauty. Much of these are related to spring, youth, and growth. I think these are symbolic and prophetic for the coming of the baby. It is as if Hardy is preparing us and giving us a glimpse of what is about to happen.
ReplyDeleteAlso, some of the natural references seem associated with innocence - especailly the Mayday dance in which she is dressed in white. I think Hardy is highighting her innocence to show that not only is she a virgin, but to make the loss of her virginity that much more tragic.
In response to Allison -
ReplyDeleteI like very much that you point out the references to animals in relation to nature. I think this is something very important, but easily missed if one is not looking for it.
I also like that you show the difference between Tess and Rachel in The Moonstone. They are extremely different in their statuses; gentlewoman verses working-class woman. Also, you make a good point about Rachel from Hard Times. They are both working-class women, but Rachel’s surroundings are very much pertained to factories, which is opposite of the natural settings of Tess. And yet, both have to work for a living.
I also like your point of Tess being governed by nature, which cannot be changed. It is as if her fate is held within nature. The seasons change; regardless of whether we want them to or not. I also think that this lack of control ties into her being outside of the Victorian ideals. Like you said, “not to say that she is immoral or amoral.” - Hardy does not shed a negative or positive light on this fact.
Response to Claudia:
ReplyDeleteI like the point you made about how "nature is uncontrollable by mankind and Tess cannot control the circumstances in her life." It is true that the things that happen to Tess are uncontrollable, and she doesn't seem to take as much control over her life as maybe she could. I think maybe though, she could do better in a city than in a rural environment. In the novel, it seems as though she can't escape her past. For example, later on when Tess and Angel go into a town before their wedding, a man recognizes her. Even though she's living in a huge place, there are fewer people, and someone will eventually expose her. If she had decided to move to a city, there would have been many many people who don't know her, and more opportunities for work. If I predict things right (because I haven't got to the last 3rd of the book) she goes back to Alec as though it's her only alternative. You are right when you say that she is "helpless and weak as far as taking control of her life goes." I think she's got more options than she's willing to explore.
In response to waggoner87:
ReplyDelete"Much of these are related to spring, youth, and growth. I think these are symbolic and prophetic for the coming of the baby."
I love this! I had not thought of that as I read it. I think you are absolutely right that Hardy was trying to let us know in his way that something else was being created and born.