Chapter 12

• Who does Tess decide to leave and return to her family?

  Alec d'Urberville
• What emotional burdens does Tess feel after her experiences with Alec?


  Guilt, shame, and confusion
• How does Tess's journey back to Marlott reflect her internal struggles?


  It shows her reflection on her circumstances and fate
• What does Tess avoid doing when she reaches her hometown?


  Sharing the full truth of her experiences with her family
• What does Tess's quote about danger in menfolk reveal about her feelings?


  • Sense of betrayal and frustration
  • Ill-prepared for predatory nature of men
  • Critique of Victorian double standards on female sexuality
• What does the quote about Tess's guardian angel suggest about Hardy's views on fate?


  It questions the absence of divine protection and suggests tragic inevitability
• How does Hardy describe the emotional impact of Alec's actions on Tess in the opening sentence of the chapter?


  By highlighting the heavy burden she carries
• What societal values does Tess's heavy burden reflect regarding women and rape in the 19th century?


  • Women were vilified for rape
  • Purity was highly valued
  • Sinfulness associated with sex out of wedlock
  • Blame fell solely on the woman, even if unwilling
• -              “Why didn’t you tell me there was danger in menfolk? Why didn’t you warn me?”- Analysis: This quote captures Tess’s sense of betrayal and frustration, feeling that she was ill-prepared for the predatory nature of men like Alec. Tess reflects on how her innocence was manipulated, and her lack of education about the dangers she faced worsens her trauma. Hardy uses this line to critique the Victorian double standards around female sexuality and purity, where women were often kept in ignorance about their vulnerabilities, yet blamed when they fell victim to exploitation.
• -              "But some might say, where was Tess’s guardian angel? Where was the providence of her simple faith?"- Analysis: Hardy raises questions of fate, destiny, and the divine here. Tess’s ordeal seems to suggest the absence of divine protection, which challenges the religious beliefs of the time. This line also points to Hardy’s theme of tragic inevitability: Tess, despite her goodness, is doomed by external forces beyond her control, an idea tied to Hardy’s fatalistic worldview.
• What does Hardy's opening sentence in the chapter highlight about Tess's situation?


  It highlights the emotional impact of Alec's rape on Tess.
• What does the adjective "heavy" signify in the context of Tess's burden?


  It signifies both the physical weight and her emotional burdens.
• How does Tess's burden reflect 19th-century values regarding women and rape?


  It reflects that women were vilified for rape, as their purity was highly valued.
• What societal norm is highlighted by the act of having sex out of wedlock in the context of Tess's story?


  It was considered sinful and led to vilification of women.
• In what way does the blame for the rape fall on Tess, despite her being an unwilling participant?


  The blame falls solely on her as a woman in the context of societal norms.
• The basket was heavy and the bundle was large.

  Tess's physical and emotional burdens symbolizing the weight of her responsibilities, duties, and societal expectations.